Back to the Past: Harry's Wish
by opungo
Summary: In Harry's fifth year, he accidentially sends himself back in time and meets his teenaged parents. The problem is, Lily starts to like a Potter...and it isn't James.
1. Back to the Past

Harry walked glumly through the corridors. That foul Umbridge woman had banned him from Quidditch and now Ginny had taken his place as Seeker on the Quidditch team. He didn't feel like going down to breakfast to eat or wish her good luck yet. In fact, he didn't feel like going down to the pitch at all, but he knew he would have to eventually. If he didn't, Umbridge would probably seek him out and force him down there to watch as torture. Harry wasn't really paying attention to where he was or where he was going, so he was _very_ surprised when he found himself outside the Room of Requirement.

He looked around to see that nobody was coming and he started walking back and forth. _I need somewhere where I can relax and think. I need somewhere where I can think_. A door appeared in the wall and Harry stepped inside. It looked remarkably like the Gryffindor common room, but without the staircases to the dormitory. Harry sat himself in a squashy armchair in front of the fire and stared absentmindedly in the flames.

This had not been a good year for him. The Dementor's, the hearing, the _Daily Prophet_ trying to convince everybody he was crazy, Seamus and his mother _believing _the _Prophet_, and getting banned from Quidditch for life. Worst of all, he couldn't talk to Sirius about all of it. After the incident in the Gryffindor common room fire where he almost got caught by Umbridge, Harry didn't dare to try and make contact with him, it was too risky.

_I wish I could safely talk with Sirius_, Harry thought to himself. He felt his stomach grumble and he remembered he should go down to breakfast to get food and try and give Ginny some advice before she had to go out to the pitch. With that in mind, Harry carefully peaked out the door to make sure nobody was coming down the corridor before stepping out and shutting the door behind him. As he walked glumly down the corridor, the door to the Room of Requirement vanished.

Harry was still depressed about not playing, but determined not to show it so he didn't notice anything or anybody around him. So he definitely didn't notice that nobody was familiar to him. Not until somebody called out "Oi! Potter!" did Harry bother to look around and notice that something was different and definetley not right. A tall black boy was running toward him, dressed in Gryffindor Quidditch robes. The boy looked familiar. Almost like Angelina. But, this boy wasn't on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Harry knew everybody from the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"What are you still doing in the castle?" the boy demanded. "And where's your broom? You should be at the pitch with the rest of the team! You're the Captain! Wait…you're not Potter." The black boy eyed Harry for a moment. "Oh, sorry for the mistake. You do look a lot like Potter." What was this boy talking about? When did he get on the Quidditch team? Why did he think that Harry Quidditch Captain? And why would this guy think he wasn't 'Potter'? Of course he was Potter! Before Harry had to time to protest that he _was_ Potter and ask why the boy was wearing Quidditch robes, a voice shouted from behind them.

"Oi! Johnson! Get to the pitch!" Johnson jumped a little and looked at somebody over Harry's shoulder.

"I'm coming, James, keep your hair on!" Johnson rolled his eyes. "That guy who shouted my name is the one I mistook you for. James Potter: Head Boy, Quidditch Captain, Seeker, and a pain in the arse if you're late getting down to the pitch. I have to go before he clobbers me for stalling. I'll see you at the game." Johnson nodded to Harry and took off. Harry stood frozen. Did that boy just say 'James'?_ James Potter_? Harry ducked behind the statue he had been standing by and carefully peeked out from behind it.

Johnson ran up to a boy with messy jet-black hair and hazel eyes and hit him on the shoulder. They both shouldered their brooms and walked out of sight. Harry felt all the color drain from his face. He was somehow in his parent's time, back when they were in school. How did he get back here? Then he remembered the Room of Requirement, where he had wished he could safely talk with Sirius. Harry gotten his wish, that was for certain. He had gone back to his parent's time.


	2. Dumbledore's Solution

_No_, Harry thought, shaking his head and concealing himself behind the statue again. _Absolutely not, I'm dreaming. I'm hallucinating. I-I fell asleep in the Room of Requirement! That's it! It's all a dream! It's a very twisted and freaky dream! All I have to do is wake myself up!_

With this in his mind, Harry pinched himself. It hurt and he was still behind the statue. He pinched his arm again. No luck. Harry slapped himself across the face. He was still there. _This…isn't…good,_ thought Harry. _I can't stay behind this statue forever. What do I do?_ Then, the obvious solution popped in to his mind. Dumbledore! He should go to Dumbledore!

Harry dived a hand in to his bag for his wand and the Marauder' Map and tapped it muttering, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Nobody was coming along the corridor. While holding the map and his wand and one hand, he pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and pulled it over him. Harry ran out from behind the statue and dodged anybody that came his way. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Dumbledore was preparing to leave his office when he arrived in the corridor leading to it. Harry ripped off his Invisibility Cloak and ran to the entrance to Dumbledore's office arriving there just in time to see him step off of the revolving staircase from his office. Evidently, he was planning on viewing the match. Dumbledore looked up and smiled at the sight of Harry.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. Shouldn't you be down at the match giving your team a pep talk or going over strategies? I'm about to go down to the pitch myself to view it." Harry shook his head while panting from his run.

"I-I'm not Mr. Potter, sir. I mean-I _am_-I mean, my surname _is_ Potter. But not the Potter you're thinking of," Harry tried desperately to explain. Dumbledore stood for a moment before sighing.

"I see," replied Dumbledore quietly. He turned to his gargoyle and said "Acid Pops!" The gargoyle sprung to life and leapt aside to reveal the revolving staircase. "Please join me in my office, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore leapt upon the staircase and Harry leapt on it just behind him. He couldn't help but notice that Dumbledore seemed a bit amused that there were two Potters walking through Hogwarts. Harry, however, found it a bit frightening. Dumbledore pushed open his office door and sat down in his chair while Harry sat across from him.

"Chocolate?" Dumbledore offered, holding out a bar of Honeyduke's chocolate. Harry shook his head. _This is how he reacts to two Potters around Hogwarts? By offering me CHOCOLATE?_ Dumbledore put down the bar and leaned back in his chair some.

"So, would you mind telling me your full name and why you look so much like James Potter?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded.

"My full name is Harry James Potter and-" Dumbledore cut him off.

"I am going to take a guess here and say that you are the son of James Potter and you somehow traveled back in time?" Dumbledore asked, slightly amused. Harry nodded.

"How _did_ you travel back in time, Mr. Potter?" Harry sighed and explained. Leaving out several facts in the story. Like his parents were dead, Harry defeated Voldemort, Voldemort returned to power, the person he wanted to talk to was an escaped convicted murderer in the future, and the _Daily Prophet_ making him look like an attention-seeking lunatic. Dumbledore listened intently to Harry while he explained how he had come back here. After Harry was done and out of breath, Dumbledore finally spoke.

"Why don't you just go back to the Room of Requirement and wish yourself back to your time?" Harry felt his stupidity grow. He had never thought of that. "I will escort you to the Room of Requirement if you'd like. I myself have never heard of it and would like to see it," Dumbledore offered, standing up. Harry nodded and stood up too. They walked in silence for a minute before Dumbledore decided to speak again.

"Did you by chance talk with anybody besides me while you were here, Harry?" he asked. Harry felt a pang of guilt.

"Yes," Harry mumbled. "His name was Johnson, I believe. He's on the Quidditch team and mistook me for my dad. But he saw he made a mistake so I didn't talk to him long." Dumbledore nodded.

"You do look extraordinarily like your father, Harry," Dumbledore remarked. "Except for your eyes. Who is your mother? I forgot to ask."

"Her first name is Lily. I don't know about her surname. I do know that she had long dark-red hair and my eyes." Dumbledore nodded and smiled.

"Lily Evans. She's Head Girl. I daresay your father has fancied her for a period of time. Your mother isn't so eager to like your father. Don't worry," Dumbledore assured him when he saw the worried look on Harry's face. "since you exist, she'll warm up to him soon enough." Harry breathed a sigh of relief and suddenly found Dumbledore and himself in front of the Room of Requirement.

"I guess I'll see you in a couple decades, Professor," Harry said awkwardly. Dumbledore nodded and smiled.

"It's been a pleasure meeting you, Harry. Now I believe it's time to get back to your own time." Harry nodded and started pacing back and forth until the door appeared. He gave Dumbledore a small wave as he wrenched open the door and stepped inside the room.

_Right_, Harry thought sitting back down in the same armchair. _I wish I could go back to my own time_. He waited for a moment then stood up again and walked out of the room. Dumbledore was there.

"Oh, s-sorry sir," Harry stammered. "I-I was just-"

"Trying to get back to your own time?" Dumbledore asked half-amusingly, half-seriously. Harry's jaw dropped to his knees.

"Don't tell me I'm still-I didn't go back to the future?" Harry asked, bewildered. Dumbledore nodded. "How the-why am I-why am I still here?"

"What did you wish for when you went in to the Room of Requirement, Harry?" Harry racked his brains for a minute before answering, "I wished I could talk safely with my Godfather." Dumbledore nodded.

"Well, it seems you haven't fulfilled your wish," he said simply. "I believe if you fully fulfill this wish, not just talking with your Godfather, but getting help with whatever you're going through, you can go back." Harry couldn't help it. He groaned, rolled his eyes, and banged his head on the wall. "It seems we'll have to enroll you in Hogwarts and place you in the same dormitory as your Godfather. But I'll need his name." Harry sighed.

"Sirius Black," he groaned. Dumbledore nodded.

"I'm not surprised. Back to my office, then." Dumbledore turned around and walked briskly to his office, Harry on his heels. "So you will be with the seventh-year Gryffindor boys. I'll need a list of the subjects you're taking."

"But sir, I'm only fifth year." Dumbledore nodded.

"Well, to get you back to your time we will say you are in seventh year and that your old school wasn't as fast-paced as Hogwarts. Acid Pops!" Dumbledore hopped on to his staircase. "Your father and godfather, though at this point you should be referring to them as James and Sirius, are talented in many subjects and they'll be able to help you…except Charms. You'll need to ask Remus Lupin or Lily Evans for help there." Dumbledore pushed open his office door and started looking through his desk for parchment and a quill while Harry sat down in the chair across. He couldn't believe what had happened.

"Now, to be on the safe side, what career were you planning on pursuing after Hogwarts?" Dumbledore inquired when he finally had found a quill and parchment.

"An Auror," Harry answered truthfully. Dumbledore nodded.

"So Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Herbology," Dumbledore said aloud to himself while quickly writing down the names of textbooks. "I'll make sure to have all of them delivered to you by Monday at breakfast. Now, for clothes." Dumbledore flicked his wand and a pile of school robes, Muggle clothes, socks underwear, a toothbrush, and a comb magically appeared on a small table. He flicked his wand again and a trunk appeared. He flicked his wand a third time and all the clothes flew in to the trunk.

"Do you have anything in your bag you should put in there?" Harry nodded and stuffed his Invisibility Cloak and the map in the trunk, keeping his wand. Dumbledore flicked his wand once more and the trunk closed with a snap and disappeared. Just then there was a knock on the door. "Enter." Harry had strain to contain his shock as McGonagall walked in to the office. McGonagall, however, did not attempt to conceal hers.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore said merrily, a twinkle in his eye. "We have a new student. Harry Potter." Dumbledore announced. McGonagall's jaw dropped. "He was sorted in to Gryffindor and is a seventh year student. Would you like to show him the way to the tower?" McGonagall snapped her jaw shut and nodded. "By the way, Minerva, who won the match?" Dumbledore asked as Harry stood up.

"Gr-Gryffindor, sir," McGonagall stammered while staring bewilderedly at Harry. "210-50." Dumbledore nodded and McGonagall suddenly regain her stern manner. "Come along, then Potter." Harry didn't dare disobey; he stayed close at her heel. "Dumbledore explained the rules of Hogwarts to you?" McGonagall asked after a few moments of intense silence.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall," Harry replied. McGonagall gave him a curt nod and picked up her pace a bit.

"You'll be sharing a dormitory with five other boys," McGonagall explained. "Their names are Frank Longbottom, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and James Potter." Harry did his best to act surprised.

"There's another Potter in Hogwarts?" he gasped. McGonagall nodded.

"The two of you look _exactly_ alike," McGonagall remarked. Harry noticed her give a little shudder. "The only way we'll be able to tell you two apart is by the eyes and that cut on your forehead." Harry instinctively flattened his bangs. Although he knew people weren't likely to stare at his scar here, it was still a habit. McGonagall didn't notice because they were at the portrait for the Fat Lady.

"This is the entrance to Gryffindor tower," McGonagall explained. "To get in, you say the password to the portrait. Do try and remember it. Oh, and as a warning," McGonagall said suddenly turning from the portrait. "Since Gryffindor just won a Quidditch match, there'll be a party in the common room. Pig skin!" McGonagall said firmly to the Fat Lady. She nodded and swung open. Harry was greeted by an explosion of sound from the common room as he climbed through the portrait hole after McGonagall. She stood in front of him so Harry couldn't see much of what was going on.

"Your attention, please!" McGonagall barked. The common room fell dead silent. "I have an announcement to make," she began.

"Remus was in charge of drinks this time! There's no firewhisky, I _swear_!" a familiar voice called out in a panic. McGonagall shook her head.

"Thank you for raising my suspicions, Mr. Black," McGonagall said calmly. "Now, back to what I was saying before I was interrupted. We have a new student. He's in seventh-year and was sorted in to Gryffindor." The common room burst in to applause and cheers. "I hope you will be kind to him, respect him, and help him around the castle."

"What's his name?" another familiar voice called out. Harry felt his stomach twist in to a knot when he realized it was Lupin speaking. McGonagall sighed.

"Harry…Potter." McGonagall stepped away from Harry and went over to a table containing drinks. Everybody's eyes were on Harry as he looked nervously around. He recognized several people from meeting them and photographs. He spotted Lupin in an armchair, clenching the sides of it rather tightly. Alice Longbottom, paused in a bite on a sandwich clutched tightly in her hand. Then he spotted Sirius, clutching a butterbeer, looking bewildered, standing next to a figure dressed in Quidditch robes with jet-black messy hair and hazel eyes. Harry gulped nervously when he realized that it was his father. James Potter.


	3. The Two Potters Meet

Harry had never had heard the common room so quiet apart from the time Ginny was taken in to the Chamber of Secrets. He was unsure of what to do. It was rather uncomfortable having everybody stare at him while he stood there. He felt as if his legs had turned to stone and he couldn't move. Finally, he was saved.

"Come on," Remus said exasperatingly, pushing himself up from his armchair. "This is a party, not a staring contest!" Everybody except for James snapped out of their stupor and began to mingle and celebrate the Gryffindor victory. Remus came up to Harry and held out his hand.

"My name's Remus Lupin," he greeted. "We're in the same year." Harry nodded and shook his hand. It was very odd to be meeting his teenaged Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry tried to give a smile.

"Yeah, McGonagall mentioned you," Harry managed to say. "So, you just had a Quidditch game?" Harry asked, desperate for a subject change. Remus nodded.

"Gryffindor against Ravenclaw. That's another house at Hogwarts. There are four in all. Do you want a butterbeer?" Remus offered. Harry nodded and followed Remus over to the table McGonagall was inspecting.

"I'll believe Mr. Black…this time," said McGonagall aloud to herself. She climbed out of the portrait hole again, leaving the common room.

"So," Harry began as Remus thrust a warm bottle of butterbeer in to his hands. "What're the names of the other two houses?"

"There's Hufflepuff. Anybody from Ravenclaw and Huffflepuff are pretty decent people. But if you see an unpleasant looking lot, that's the Slytherins. It's best just to stay clear of them." Harry nodded. Before he had a chance to say anything in reply, Sirius came running over followed closely by a very white-looking James.

"Whoa," Sirius said when he spotted Harry. His eyes had grown wide and his jaw dropped. Remus rolled his eyes.

"Close your mouth. You're catching flies." Sirius snapped his jaw shut and glared at Remus before turning back to Harry.

"Sirius Black. I'm in your year," Sirius greeted. Harry nodded.

"Harry Potter," he replied with a weak smile. James turned, if possible, even whiter. Sirius clapped a hand to James' shoulder, making his knees buckle.

"The gaping idiot here is your long lost twin, James Potter," Sirius explained jokingly. Harry felt the color drain from his own face. He was meeting his teenage father. James snapped out of his stupor and hit Sirius over the back of the head.

"So, er, play any Quidditch?" James asked. He was just as desperate for a subject change as Harry had been.

"Yeah," Harry said nodding. "I played Seeker at my old school." James' face lit up at this news. His expression, however, faltered when a new face came in to the group.

"Well that's _just_ what we need isn't it?" said a girl's voice sarcastically from behind Harry. He choked on his butterbeer some. He had a small idea of who it might be. "Another Quidditch-obsessed Potter around Hogwarts." The speaker walked up to them and Harry felt his stomach twist in to a knot. It was his mother. Lily Potter. _No, it's Evans now!_ Harry thought to himself.

"Oh, so just because the new kid's a Potter you're not going to even take a chance to know him?" Sirius inquired. Lily took a sideways glance at Harry and took a small step back. Probably out of shock that he looked so much like James.

"For once, I'm siding with Sirius here," said Remus. "For all you know, James and Harry could be totally different and Harry just proved my point!" he said suddenly. Everybody in the group whipped their head around at Harry who was looking confusedly at them all.

"What? What did I do?" Harry asked nervously. Remus smiled.

"James here," he explained pointing at James. "Has a nervous habit of running his hand through his hair. But I saw you just flatten your bangs just now."

"Oh," Harry choked. "That's just a nervous habit too." Lily raised her eyebrows a bit and then to everybody's surprise, gave a small smile.

"I'm Lily, by the way," she greeted. Harry felt his insides grow warm. He had been right, it _was_ his mother. "Lily Evans. Come find me if you need help around the castle." She gave a small wave and departed quickly from the group.

"Earth to James!" Sirius said snapping his fingers in front of James' face. James shook his head and looked confusedly around the group. Sirius laughed and rolled his eyes. "James fancies her," Sirius explained nodding towards Lily who was now standing by the fireplace with Alice. "So if she's ever within three feet of James, watch your step. You might slip in one of James' drool puddles if you're not careful." Everybody laughed a little and James hit Sirius over the back of the head.

"Come on, we'll show you the dormitory," James said. He walked to the staircase with Sirius and Remus at his heels. Harry quickly followed. "Don't even try getting in to the girls dormitories. Although it is a little fun." Harry remembered the day he and Ron tried to get up there to talk to Hermione and smiled to himself.

"So, how good are you at Quidditch?" James asked curiously as he pushed open a door with a sign that was marked 'Seventh-Years'. Harry spotted the trunk that Dumbledore had conjured up for him at the foot of a four-poster bed and he thankfully sat down on it.

"I got on the team when I was in first year," Harry said with a hint of pride in his voice. James, who was bent over his trunk, whipped his head around. Along with Remus and Sirius.

"Wow," Sirius said impressively as James pulled the hangings around his own four-poster shut. "You're even better than James!"

"Shut up, Sirius," came James' muffled voice from behind the hangings. Just then, the dormitory door burst open and Harry's stomach twisted in to a knot as Frank Longbottom, closely followed by Alice, Peter, and Lily came in to the room.

"Wow, you really _do_ look like James," Frank commented, eyeing Harry. "Just thought I'd introduce myself and Peter." He pointed to Peter who smiled nervously. Harry gave a small wave. "And this is my girlfriend Alice Smith." Harry felt horrible looking at all these people. In the room he saw two people who were dead in his time, two tortured in to insanity, one a traitor, one a convicted murderer on the run, and another who could never find a job.

"Are you alright?" Alice asked concernedly. Harry snapped out of his stupor and pretended to yawn.

"I guess I'm just a little tired," he lied. Alice nodded as Lily walked over to James' four-poster.

"Potter, I need to talk to you," Lily said to the hangings. Harry could hear a groan from behind them. "Now!"

"Lily," came James' muffled voice. "this might not have occurred to you, but I _might_ be a little preoccupied at the moment." Lily rolled her eyes.

"Doing _what_ exactly?" she inquired. For an answer, James ripped apart his hangings and jumped down on the floor. He was only wearing a pair of jeans, his Quidditch robes and a t-shirt were in one hand.

"Changing," James replied almost coldly. Lily stared for a moment before throwing him a disgusted look and she turned facing the opposite direction.

"Well at least put a shirt on so I can talk to you properly, Potter," she spat. James rolled his eyes and pulled the shirt on over his head.

"In case you haven't noticed, I call _you_ by your first name," James said with the same cold tone he had a moment before. "You could do the same. It might be a little less confusing too with two Potters around." James pushed his glasses on. "I have a shirt on now." Lily turned around, tossing her long dark-red hair over her shoulder as she did.

"I just wanted to remind you we have to patrol the corridors tonight," Lily said calmly. James rolled his eyes again.

"We've patrolled the corridors every night since September," James pointed out. "What makes you think I need a reminder?"

"Every time we won a game last year your head would get so big that you would conveniently forgot about classes on the Monday following the match!" Lily snapped. James started to take a step back for a second then, he set a determined look on his face and looked Lily straight in the eye.

"That was last year, this is this year," he growled. Lily scoffed.

"And you're still James Potter. No amount of time will change that." she spat venomously. With that she whipped around and stormed out of the dormitory. Alice followed her. Harry stared from James to Lily. He never knew that his parents hated each other so much. This was such a large contrast from the picture album he had with his parents looking happy together. How did they end up together? She hated him.

"That," Sirius said. "was the side of Lily Evans nobody likes to see. Especially James." He nodded toward James who was panting at the spot, staring longingly at the doorway which Lily had just disappeared through. Harry felt a pang of sympathy for his dad.

"James," Remus said exasperatingly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "you need to stop acting like that around Lily if you like her as much as you say you do." James snapped out of his stupor.

"Let's just talk about something else," James muttered, bending over his trunk again. He pulled out six boxes of chocolate frogs and tossed one of them to everybody in the room. "Are you some kind of distant relative of mine or something?" It took a moment for Harry to realize that James was talking to him.

"I don't know," Harry lied. "We could be. But my family's all Muggle so I kind of doubt it." James nodded.

"What're your parents like?" Sirius asked curiously. Harry shrugged, slightly glad he was telling the truth. "How do you _not_ know what your parents are like?" Sirius asked, a little confused at Harry's response.

"Well, when they died when you're at a really young age, that's how," Harry said truthfully. The whole room was dead quiet. Harry took this opportunity to rip open the Chocolate Frog package and stuff it in to his mouth.

"Sorry," Sirius muttered. Harry shook his head.

"Ifs alwite," Harry said through the Chocolate Frog in his mouth. Remus, who looked a little sympathetic at first, now looked disgusted.

"I was wrong," Remus groaned. "You two are _exactly_ alike!"

**Author's Note: Thanks to all who reviewed! I thought nobody was liking this story so I was a little surprised when I checked my e-mail this morning and there were review alerts in my inbox! Woohoo! Thanks! I'm off to write the next chapter.**


	4. Classes

Harry was in Gryffindor tower for the rest of the weekend and the stares from the other Gryffindors soon subsided. However, when Harry stepped out of the portrait hole, whispers and stares followed him everywhere. Although he was quite used to this, it was a bit annoying. _Well_, Harry thought. _At least they're not staring at you because they think you've lost your marbles_.

"Take a picture!" Sirius barked at some second year Ravenclaws who had stopped in their tracks to stare at Harry and James. They immediately scampered away as Sirius shook his head. "Just give everybody some time and I'm sure they'll calm down about you and James looking so much alike," Sirius assured Harry.

"Am I forgetting something?" Frank wondered aloud. James shrugged. "I'm sure I'll remember," said Frank as they entered the Great Hall. A greater number of eyes were now on Harry and James. They both did their best to ignore this and to just eat their breakfast.

"You did it again," Sirius said after a minute. At the same time, Harry and James looked up and asked, "What?"

"You're both doing that weird coordination thing again," Remus explained. Over the past couple days, Harry and James had been doing stuff exactly the same. Whether it was getting out of bed, putting on shoes, walking, or talking, they were like mirror images of each other wherever they went. Just then they both sat down, yawned, took a piece of toast, buttered it, bit in to it, set it down on the plate, reached for the bacon, and placed several pieces on their plates. Before they had time to say anything (no doubt the same thing at the same time) there was a tap on Harry's shoulder. He turned around in his seat to see McGonagall

"I have your schedule," she said, handing Harry a sheet of parchment. "and your books." She dropped a heavy pile of books in to Harry's lap, making him grunt from shock and pain. Sirius and James laughed at this but stopped suddenly at McGonagall's stern look.

"Thank you, Professor," he choked. James grabbed his schedule and examined it.

"Cool!" he exclaimed. "You're taking the same classes as me! Except for Ancient Runes, you have a free period while I'm in there. You'll like Transfiguration, you have that first. McGonagall's a bit strict and the notes are murder, but it's a pretty good class altogether. You have great timing coming to Hogwart's. You didn't have to do that monstrous essay she assigned over the weekend." Just then there was a clatter of silverware. Harry looked up to see a very white and wide-eyed Frank.

"I forgot my Transfiguration essay upstairs!" he cried out. He leapt from his seat and dashed out of the Great Hall and out of sight, looking very frantic. James shook his head exasperatingly.

"That sums up Frank for you," he said. "Nice guy. Terrible memory." Harry smiled, glad that at least he knew Neville was more like his parents than his grandmother gave him credit for.

"You need some help, Harry?" Remus asked. They were in Transfiguration and Harry still hadn't managed to transfigure his crab in to a cat. He understood the notes, surprisingly enough, but he still hadn't managed to get it right. The one thing he didn't get is when he would ever need to transfigure a crab in to a cat. Harry nodded.

"Do the spell one more time so I can see what you're doing wrong." Harry nodded, cleared his throat and said, "_Ebarctia!_" To Harry's surprise, his crab sprouted cat ears.

"Cool!" Harry exclaimed, pointing at the ears. Remus shook his head. Harry could hear him mutter something that sounded similar to "like James".

"Right, you got the gist of the spell," Remus said after he was done shaking his head. "You just didn't do the wand movement right. You have to wave your wand left to right, not right to left." Harry nodded cleared his throat and tried it again. He produced a cat with pinchers and crab legs. Even Remus couldn't stop himself from laughing at Harry's creation.

"What're you two laughing-what in the world is that?" James asked, turning around in his seat.

"I'm not a good teacher," Remus said while shrugging his shoulders. Harry grinned.

"Sure you are," he assured Remus. _Just not at Transfiguration_ he added quietly to himself.

At that moment the bell rang and Harry gladly left his cat behind. "Where to next?" Harry asked, pulling out his schedule.

"Charms," James answered dully. Remus rolled his eyes.

"Ignore him and Sirius, Charms is their weakest subject," he murmured.

"Hey!" they both cried out in protest. Harry laughed.

"Well, we're better at it than Peter," Sirius said, nodding towards Peter. Harry felt his hatred for Peter rise but he couldn't show it to them. At this point in time, Peter hadn't done anything yet. Peter looked up confusedly at his name being mentioned.

"What?" he said. James and Sirius laughed. Remus muttered, "Ignore them, Peter." James and Sirius' mood dampened almost the moment they stepped in to the Charms classroom. It was like a sunny day suddenly turning in to a rainy one. James' mood, however, suddenly brightened again as Harry was pulling out his wand.

"She smiled at me! She smiled at me!" James exclaimed in an excited whisper. Harry tried to suppress a laugh at his dad's antics but failed miserably.

"I'm taking a wild guess here and saying you're talking about Lily?" Remus asked as he pulled out his wand from his bag. James nodded eagerly.

"I've officially died and gone to heaven," James said somewhat dreamily. Hardly a moment after he said that, Professor Flitwick came in to the room. "I take back what I just said," said James hastily. They all had to stifle their laughter as Flitwick began to call roll and then again when he got confused when he saw there were now two Potters in the class.

"So," Harry said to James between his attempts to do the Shoe-Tying Charm. "you like Lily?" To his surprise Sirius, Remus, and Peter sniggered while James turned a brilliant shade of red.

"Like," Sirius said. "is a bit of an understatement. He'd fling himself off the Astronomy Tower if it would guarantee him a date with Lily." James turned, if possible, even redder and muttered, "Shut up," to Sirius. Harry, however, was still a bit confused.

"You acted like you hated her guts on Saturday," said Harry. James nodded a little sadly.

"Yeah, I had had a row with her the day before," he muttered. "But I patched things up with her while on patrol and we're back to normal and I'm this much closer to asking her out," James said holding his thumb and index finger less than a quarter of an inch apart. Harry felt his jaw drop slightly.

"You haven't asked her out yet?" Harry asked before he could think of what he was about to say. Now Sirius and Remus had an incredible time trying not to burst out in laughter. James glared at them and explained to Harry.

"Well," he began. "I have asked her out fair bit in the past. Since around, I don't know fifth year? The only problem is-"

"She saw James as an arrogant, bullying, toe-rag," Remus finished for James. James hung his head a bit while Harry stared. Then, suddenly, James perked up.

"But I've changed my ways this year!" he announced proudly. "I haven't been jinxing people for fun or because I'm bored, the last time I ran my hand through my hair was June, and I now call her by her first name." Sirius let out a sarcastic, dramatic gasp. But Harry had to wonder about his father's past behavior. Everybody made him and Sirius seem like Fred and George Weasley. But nobody had ever called _them_ "arrogant, bullying, toe-rags". Harry was snapped from his train of thoughts when James had somehow managed to put furry rabbit ears on his shoe. Those around him burst in to laughter at the shoe and James' horrified face. Then the whole class burst out laughing at James' reaction to Flitwick saying he wasn't sure if he would be able to take off the ears.

"What?!" James cried, bewildered and wide-eyed. "I can't walk around the rest of the day with rabbit ears on one of my shoes!" James looked very white. Professor Flitwick began to chuckle.

"Honestly, Mr. Potter," he said. "I thought you of all people would be able to take a joke." Flitwick waved his wand and the ears were gone. The laughter in the classroom, however, wasn't.

"That wasn't funny," James growled as they left the classroom a few minutes later. Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Harry were all howling with laughter. Tears were streaming down Sirius' face from laughing so hard.

"Th-The look on your fa-" the last of Sirius' words were drowned out by his own laughter. Harry took one look at his father's angry, embarrassed, and red face and pulled out his schedule to hopefully change the subject.

"I've got a free period now before lunch!" Harry exclaimed happily. Sirius groaned.

"Lucky," he said enviously. "James and I have Muggle Studies. Remus and Peter have the same free period as you, though." At the end of the corridor they parted ways. James and Sirius to Muggle Studies, Harry, Remus, and Peter back to Gryffindor tower.

"So, how do you think you like Hogwarts so far?" Remus asked, plopping in to a chair at a table in the common room. Harry smiled.

"It's great," he said truthfully. "It'll take a while to find my way around the castle, but other than that it's the best." Remus smiled a little and pulled out his Charms book to read Chapter 5 (_Useful Everyday Charms)_ for homework. Harry and Peter did the same. They were in silence for a minute before a new face joined them.

"Hello Remus, Peter, Harry." Harry looked up. It was his mother. Remus looked up too and smiled.

"Care to join us?" he asked politely. Lily nodded and sat down in the seat between Peter and Harry and began to rummage through her bag. After a minute, she groaned. "Anything wrong?" Remus asked. Lily looked up, brushing hair out of her eyes.

"I can't find my Charms book," she said. "I _swear_ I put it back in here the moment the bell rang," Lily promised, waving a hand at her bag. Remus nodded.

"This is just a theory, but maybe you _didn't_ stick it in your bag and it's still in the Charms classroom," said Remus. Lily looked groaned.

"I can't believe myself!" she cried, smacking her forehead with her palm. "I never forget books!" Harry tried to be sympathetic towards his mother, hoping his inability to talk to any girl wouldn't get in the way.

"There's a-er-first time for everything?" Harry tried uncertainly. Lily sighed and Harry was worried he had somehow messed up. So he was surprised when Lily acceptingly said, "I suppose I can go back and get it when we go to lunch."

Remus smiled. "You want to look off of my book for now? I can work on Transfiguration for a while." Lily shook her head.

"I'll just look off of Harry's book with him if he doesn't mind," she suggested. Harry nodded and pushed his book and chair closer to Lily. "Thanks," she said, smiling. Harry smiled back.

"No problem," Harry replied. He felt much happier then he had in a long time just by being in classes with his Dad or sharing his Charms book with his Mum. Having them there filled a hole in Harry that the absence of parents had caused since he was one. But Harry had to stay focused. He came here because he needed to talk to Sirius. They would talk eventually, Harry promised himself that.

"Harry!" Lily's voice said from far away. Harry snapped his head up. "It'll be time to go to lunch soon." Lily looked confusedley at Harry. He must've had a similar look on his face as Saturday. Harry nodded and snapped his book shut. Then he followed Remus up the staircase to the boy's dormitory so he could put his books away, thankful for an excuse to get away from his mother's confused looks.


	5. The Mystery That Is Harry Potter

"Before you leave for your next class, I have a small announcement to make," McGonagall said at the end of the lesson. Sirius looked panicky the moment she said it. "This weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend." Harry felt his heart drop. "To those of you who are going, try to _behave_ yourselves." She looked pointedly at Sirius and James. The bell rang and Harry glumly put his book in to his bag. He may have had Sirius' permission in the future, but he probably didn't have it now. He wouldn't be able to go to _anybody_ for permission. His parents and Sirius had only known him for a week. He couldn't go up to his parents. What would he say?

_Hey James! Could you sign a note saying it's okay for me to visit Hogsmeade? I know it says that you need parent permission! You're my dad, so all you have to do is sign it…_That conversation would be disastrous.

He couldn't go to Sirius either. _Hey Sirius, you may not know this, but you're my godfather! That makes you my legal guardian! Sign my permission slip?_ If he did any of that, then people would start talking about him like he was crazy again.

"Potter," McGonagall said. "Could I speak to you for a minute?" Harry slung his bag over his shoulder and stopped in front of McGonagall's desk the same time James did.

"Er, which 'Potter' did you need?" James asked uncertainly when he spotted Harry. McGonagall looked up and sighed.

"_Harry_ Potter." James turned red and muttered to Harry that he'd wait and dashed out the door. "Dumbledore just wanted me to inform you that he sent an owl to your parents about Hogsmeade and they have given their permission." Harry's mood brightened considerably.

"Really? Seriously?" Harry couldn't help himself from asking.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. Now please get to your next class." Harry nodded and began to ran out of the classroom but stopped dead in his tracks almost immediately. Sirius was in the classroom.

"Forgot my book," Sirius explained. He waved the heavy book in the air for a minute before stowing it in his bag. Harry nodded. "We're going to be late for Charms." Sirius turned around and dashed out of the classroom. On his heels was Harry, desperately hoping Sirius hadn't caught any of his conversation with McGonagall. If he did, they would want a lot explained to them that Harry couldn't.

---

Prongs, I think your twin is hiding something from us.

_What makes you say that, Padfoot?_

Moony! This note said 'Prongs'!

_So?_

**Moony, you're a prefect. Stop setting a bad example by passing notes.**

_Well, you're Head Boy! You're passing notes too!_

**I have more authority then you and I'm telling you to stop!**

_Did a Bludger hit you in the head lately by any chance?_

**Yes, don't you remember that I went to Quidditch practice and didn't come back until breakfast the NEXT MORNING!**

_No, I was too busy._

**Doing what?**

_Studying and doing homework! What do you think I do in the common room before and after dinner?_

**Homework for Padfoot and me to copy.**

Speaking of me, can we get back to what I first said on this note?

**Yes. Moony, stop passing notes and get back to work. Be an example!**

_You. Are. Completely. Insufferable! I'm ignoring you two!_

**Thank you, Moony. Now, Padfoot, what did you say again?**

I said your twin is hiding something from us.

**What makes you say that? And his name is Harry.**

Well I forget my Transfiguration book and I ran back in to the classroom to get it. When I did, I heard McGonagall telling Harry that Dumbledore sent an owl to his parents about Hogsmeade and they said he could go.

…**I'm missing the part where I'm supposed to be suspicious of him.**

_You idiot!_

I thought you were ignoring us?

**He did say it. How am I an idiot?**

_Do you remember when Harry first came here?_

**How could I forget? That was the freakiest day of my life.**

_Forget about how freaky it was. Do you remember what he said about his parents?_

…**Oh! He said they're dead!**

_You only knew that because Padfoot just whispered it in your ear._

Did not!…Okay, I did. I got to learn to be more discreet.

_Yeah, you do._

**Why do we always get off-topic?**

_You two have really short attention spans._

**Well not now. What do you think the truth is?**

Huh?

**I meant do you think Harry lied to the teachers or us?**

_He'd have to have a lot of backbone to lie straight in to a teacher's face._

He does seem like he has a lot of backbone. He looks like he's been though a lot.

**So, you think he lied to the teachers and told the truth to us?**

Yeah!

_There's a problem with that theory. Where would Dumbledore send the owl?_

Oh.

**Oh.**

_I have another theory. He wanted to be accepted at a new school, so he went for the pity approach._

You always try and look for the worst in people, don't you Moony?

_No, I always take the sensible approach toward problems, mysteries, and people._

**Okay then, Moony, what do we do about the mystery that is Harry Potter?**

_For now, we do nothing. Let him get himself tangled in his own web of lies._

Sheesh, Moony! I thought you were a nice person! I thought you liked him!

**You said just yesterday that you thought he was nice. A little moody, but nice...Hey! We can ask him to join the Marauders. Then we can be Moony, Moody, Wormatail, Padfoot, and Prongs.**

_No._ _He'd refuse to join if we gave him a nickname like 'Moody'_.

**It's nicer than what I _originally _came up with!**

Yeah, I have to agree with James. 'Moody' is practically like a compliment compared to 'Disgruntled Little Lightning Kid'.

_I disagree with BOTH of you. None of them are compliments._

I came up with a new theory of Harry and his parents!

_This can't be good._

No, it is. Dumbledore knows, but doesn't want the teachers to take pity on Harry or anything. So he sent an owl to Harry's legal guardians and told McGonagall it was his parents!

_I suppose that's reasonable_.

Yes! Moony agrees!

**I say we stop being suspicious of Harry. He's a nice guy and he's allowed to have his secrets.**

Awwww, can't we do just a little snooping?

**No.**

_I'm siding with James. No snooping!_

You guys are no fun.

---

Harry was in a cheery mood for the rest of the week leading up to Hogsmeade. He was extremely thankful to Dumbledore for letting him go to the village. He was so happy, he even voluntarily went to the library on Friday afternoon to find a book that would help him out with a Charms essay. Hermione would be proud if she could see him.

"Better not let Sirius know that you're going to the library," Remus said, not looking up from his own essay. "He'd have a fit and say I've rubbed off on you." Harry laughed a little at this and climbed out of the portrait hole. Just like many aspects of the school, the library seemed unchanged. Madam Pince was still there and the whole library was arranged the exact same way as it was in Harry's time, so Harry was able to find the book he wanted in just two minutes. He was about to walk out when he heard his name being whispered. He looked around to see Lily and Alice sitting at a table with a large number of books laid out. Harry walked over to them and sat down in an empty chair.

"Hello," he said quietly, smiling. They both smiled back.

"Do you have your Transfiguration notes?" Lily asked politely. Harry nodded.

"But they're back upstairs in my bag," he said apologetically. Lily sighed. "I can give them to you after dinner if you want," Harry said quickly. He didn't want his mother upset with him, even if at this time she wasn't his mother yet. She smiled again.

"Thanks," she replied. Alice caught a glimpse of the book in his hands.

"That for Charms?" she asked curiously. Harry nodded.

"I thought it might help me out with my essay," Harry replied. Alice nodded then seemed to remember something.

"Hey, would you, Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter like to meet up with me, Frank, and Lily in the Three Broomsticks tomorrow around noon? It's a pub, by the way," Alice added.

"I'll have to ask them if they'd like to," Harry replied after thinking it over. "I'm pretty sure they'll say yes. I'll let you know at dinner." With that, Harry said good-bye and left the library with his book. On his way back to Gryffindor tower he ran in to Sirius and James, returning from who-knows-where.

"Hey Harry," James said cheerily. Harry grinned at what he knew.

"Hey James. Listen, what would you say if I told you that Alice invited you, me, Sirius, Remus, and Peter to meet with her, Frank, and Lily in the Three Broomsticks tomorrow?" Harry laughed at the stunned looks on their faces.

"You're lying!" gasped Sirius. "You have to be."

"I'm not. She just asked me."

"How did you do it?" Sirius asked incredulously as they walked through the portrait hole. Harry shrugged.

"I had to get a book and I was passing by a table they were at and Alice asked," he replied truthfully. Sirius' jaw dropped even further.

"Wait. You went to the _library_? Moony!" Sirius cried when he spotted him at a table in the common room. "You're being a good influence! Harry just went to the library." Remus shook his head exasperatingly.

"Forget that, Sirius," James said, regaining his composure. "Remus, you'll never guess what happened! Alice invited all of us to meet her, Frank, and Lily in the Three Broomsticks at noon tomorrow! _Lily!_ _The Three Broomsticks!_" Remus waved his hand.

"I get it James, no need to get too excited," Remus said. James' jaw dropped.

"Remus, did you NOT hear me?" James couldn't help himself from asking.

"Yes, I did," said Remus, glancing up from his essay. I just said that you needed to calm down before somebody thinks you have some sort of foreign disease and they drag you off to the hospital wing." Sirius laughed.

"Remus," he said as if Remus forgot something. "James _does_ have a foreign disease! It's called Lily-itis. Don't you remember?" James hit him over the head, still grinning over his luck. Harry grinned too. He would get to see his parents get together and fall in love.


	6. Permission to Snoop

_Harry's scar exploded with pain-_

"_Kill the spare!"-_

A voice screamed, "Harry!" in to his ear. They did this just as a blinding green light shot out. Snapping out of his dream, Harry jumped about a foot in the air and screamed, "CEDRIC!"

Panting and looking around, he realized where he was. The teenage Sirius was standing over him, looking a little worried.

"You okay?" he asked. "You were twisting around in your sleep. Who's Cedric?" Harry gulped down some air. He thought he'd be safe here and he wouldn't have dreams concerning Voldemort. Apparently, he was only partly right. He didn't have dreams about the long corridor and the door at the very end. This was the first time in a while he had a dream of the graveyard.

"Oh," Harry said, thinking quickly for an excuse. "This stupid prat at my old school. He came here and tried pushing me off the Astronomy Tower when I was least expecting it. Where is everybody?" Harry asked, glancing around the empty dormitory.

"Breakfast," Sirius said. "They just went down. You sure you're alright?" he asked as Harry hopped out of bed.

"I'm fine," Harry said quickly, opening his trunk. He had to hide his shock when he spotted a sack he hadn't seen in there before. It had a note attached to it.

"I'll see you downstairs," Sirius said. Harry heard the dormitory door shut. He was now alone. He picked up the note, unfolded it, and read it to himself:

_I assume you didn't bring any money with you. Here is some for you to thoroughly enjoy your trip in Hogsmeade._

_-Professor Dumbledore_

Harry smiled and grabbed some clothes out of his trunk and pulled the hangings on his four-poster shut to change. _I hope Sirius doesn't think anything of the dream_, Harry thought to himself. _Please let him believe the lie I told him_.

---

"The mystery that is Harry Potter deepens!" Sirius declared in a whisper when he reached the breakfast table. Peter looked up confused. "Just ignore me, Peter," Sirius said hastily. Peter obeyed and went back to playing with his food. He was currently building a house made out of toast.

"What are you talking about Sirius?" James asked curiously before turning a little angry. "Hey! I said no snooping! What did you do?" Sirius waved a hand.

"I didn't snoop!"

"So what do you call you dashing in here telling us ' The mystery that is Harry Potter deepens!'?" Remus asked defiantly. Sirius glared.

"I didn't snoop," Sirius repeated. "What happened was you guys woke me up and told me to get Harry up when I was done changing. So I got dressed and I had just pulled apart my hangings when I saw Harry twisting around in his sleep and muttering really weird things."

"Like what?" James asked amusingly. "Was he saying something like 'Stop staring at me while I sleep!' and 'My GOD get a new hobby other than staring at sleeping people!'?" Sirius rolled his eyes.

"I only got bits and pieces of it. But I did hear, 'Graveyard…Portkey…being watched…somebody's coming.' Then he had his hands covering his face and he was thrashing around like an eel. When I finally managed to wake him he jumped about a foot in the air and screamed 'Cedric!' and when I asked him about he said that Cedric was a prat from his old school that had come here and tried to push him off of the Astronomy Tower." There was silence for a few tense moments before James coughed and spoke.

"He's probably not hiding anything. Maybe he was embarrassed by his dream," James suggested.

"You _really_ think that's what he did?" Remus asked. James nodded.

"I've done it before," he replied and soon regretted it. Sirius raised his eyebrows in interest.

"Oh, really. Like when?" James gulped and reluctantly spit out the truth.

"Okay, back in fourth year, I had a nightmare. I told you guys when I woke up screaming that I dreamed Dumbledore had made me a Prefect," James explained. Sirius snorted. "In the dream I was actually being attacked by a horde of Jelly Slugs." It looked very painful for him to say. Sirius and Remus were laughing so hard they started to choke on their food. James hit them both on the back until their air passages were clear.

"Can I do snooping now?" Sirius asked eagerly. "Please!" Remus glared.

"No," he replied flatly. "But since you're the one that saw Harry have the nightmare, _you're_ going to be the one to try and coax it out of him what it was about." Sirius put on a fake pout. "Don't try worming your way out of it, Sirius," Remus said without looking up from his plate.

"Worming his way out of what?" said a voice. Harry sat down next to Remus, looking curiously at them all.

---

"It's Sirius' turn to pay for our butterbeer," James replied quickly. Harry nodded as Sirius' jaw dropped.

"So, what's Hogmeade like?" Harry asked as he picked up a piece of toast. Sirius and James just grinned.

"We'll let you be surprised," Sirius said tauntingly. Harry smiled, reminding himself to put on a fake look of surprise and awe when they walked in to the village.

"Welcome to Hogsmeade!" Sirius mockingly announced when they entered the village. Harry smiled and looked around at the many shops as snow started to lightly fall.

"Wow," Harry said softly.

"That's Honeyduke's," James said, pointing to the sweets shop. "It has great sweets. Over there, is our first stop." A mischievous grin broke out across James' face and Harry knew why when he spotted the shop. "Zonko's Joke Shop!" Remus rolled his eyes whilst James and Sirius seemed like giddy little schoolgirls as they entered the shop.

"Ah! My two favorite customers!" said the clerk behind the counter, grinning. His gaze fell on Harry and his jaw dropped. "James? Is this one of your jokes?" James laughed.

"Nope, must be a relative of some sort," James explained. "He's new at Hogwarts. Harry Potter." Harry waved a little to the bewildered clerk. Finally he shook his head and walked out from behind the counter.

"I have a new product to show to you boys," he said leading them to a large display. The sign over it said, _Fillbuster Fireworks_. "Dr. Fillbuster Fireworks!" he announced proudly. "Never seen a firework like it. Just a simple prod of the wand and they're off. He's even planning on coming out with a Wet-Start one!" Harry watched the clerk babble on about the fireworks while James and Sirius listened intently and bought a large amount of them. They were definitely just like Fred and George.

"What time is it?" James asked eagerly when they stepped out of the shop. Remus checked his watch.

"Half-past eleven," he answered. James sighed and looked a little relieved. "Can we go in to Honeyduke's now? Before the Three Broomsticks?" Remus asked. James eagerly led the way in to the sweet's shop.

"Pepper Imp, Harry?" Sirius asked, holding a jar of the black candy under his nose, a manic glint in his eyes. Harry laughed.

"No thanks, Sirius," Harry said, turning his attention to the display of Chocolate Frogs. "I'd rather not take my chances with anything you offer me." Harry grabbed several boxes and placed them on the counter to pay for them.

"Hey, Harry," Sirius said. "What was the dream you had _really_ about?" Harry felt his jaw tighten. It was starting to get hard to keep his story straight.

"I told you," Harry insisted as he slapped some silver Sickles on the counter. "This git named Cedric was tr-"

"I heard you mumbling in your sleep," Sirius cut in. Harry felt his hair stand up on end and his heart begin to pound. He hoped nobody noticed any of this.

"What'd you hear?" he asked Sirius in a hopefully-casual voice.

"Graveyard…portkey…being watched…somebody's coming," Sirius told him. Harry nodded and swallowed.

"Well," Harry said. "My dream was a bit more complicated then just somebody trying to push me off the Astronomy Tower. I was in a graveyard and I touched one of the tombstones and it was a portkey. Then I landed in the Astronomy Tower and I felt like I was being watched and I heard somebody coming up the stairs." Harry was glad that his parents didn't know that they were his parents yet. If they did, he would've been grounded for lying so much. He worried for a minute that Sirius would be able to tell he was lying, Godfather of not. Sirius, however, nodded while James came up to the counter.

"Got enough Sugar Quills there, James?" Sirius said while he and Harry backed up from the counter to let him pay. James had grabbed about a dozen of the product along with a bag of Pepper Imps, a box of Peppermint Toads, and Chocolate Cauldrons. He shrugged.

"I would've been paying too much for all this if I had gotten anymore." Sirius laughed.

"James, you're going to be broke before the day is over!" Sure enough, when James heard the price, he hastily stuffed the Pepper Imps and Peppermint Toads back on the shelf. After Sirius, Remus, and Peter paid for their own purchases, they were half-dragged by James down the road in to the Three Broomsticks. They were exactly on time to meet Frank, Alice, and-

"Lily!" James breathed quietly. She was seated at a table at the other end of the pub with Frank and Alice. Harry couldn't help but laugh quietly as James walked nervously over to them. "Hello," James greeted nervously. Lily turned her head towards him, her hair flipping over her shoulder as she did so. She smiled.

"Hello," she replied. After a little prodding in the back by Sirius, James sat down next to her, Remus and Peter sat by Frank, and Sirius and James.

"So, what've you done today?" James asked. Lily shrugged.

"Mostly just walked around and bought a couple of new quills," Lily replied. James nodded and turned to Sirius.

"Didn't we decide at breakfast it's your turn to pay for the butterbeers?" he asked. Sirius' jaw dropped.

"I thought you were just kidding!" he said incredulously.

"Peter paid for them last time, it's your turn now," James explained. Sirius groaned and counted to himself the number of people at the table before dragging himself up to the bar.

"I'll go with him," said Remus, pushing himself up out of his chair.

---

"Eight butterbeers, Rosmerta," Sirius said with a smile. Rosmerta grinned when she saw who it was.

"I just need to get some more firewhisky from the back, then I'll get your order filled." She disappeared in to the back room of the pub and Sirius turned to Remus.

"He lies!" Sirius whispered. Remus looked confusedly at Sirius.

"Who lies?" he asked. "If you're talking about Rosmerta, I'd like to point out to you that she's a girl." Sirius groaned exasperatingly.

"I'm talking about Harry," Sirius whispered. Remus raised his eyebrows.

"What did he tell you about the dream?" Sirius thought for a moment.

"It was really long and really complicated," said Sirius. "But he was avoiding my gaze, just like James whenever he lies." Remus sighed.

"I thought we've established that he's a relative, not a long-lost twin, evil twin, or anything that has the word 'twin' in it. Or anything that sounds completely absurd. Basically, whatever theory that comes out of your mouth, we're ignoring. Just because he _looks _like James doesn't mean he's exactly like him."

"Fine," Sirius said a bit sharper than he meant to. "I could tell he was lying though. I'll get him to spit out the truth about his dream…eventually."

"I know something else we might want to get him to explain," Remus said quietly. Sirius looked up to see Remus glance over at the table. Sirius glanced too. He saw Frank and Alice chatting with Peter. He glanced again and saw James trying to get a word in to a conversation taking place mainly between Lily and Harry. "Sirius," Remus said. "I give you permission to snoop." Sirius looked extremely happy as Rosmerta filled up eight tankards with butterbeer.


	7. Sirius the Snooper's Observations

**Note from the lovely Lady opungo: I had alot of fun writing this chapter. Very entertaining to me. So enjoy it and thanks to all my readers and reviewers!**

* * *

I'm telling you Prongs, Harry is DEFINETLY trying to steal Lily from you!

**And I'm telling you Padfoot, you have DEFINETLY gone mad!**

_She hardly talked to you the whole time we were in the Three Broomsticks!_

**Not true, Moony. She did talk to me and whenever she was talking with Harry, he was trying to get her to talk to me. He kept on turning the conversation towards me.**

He is more cunning and evil then we thought! Trying to turn the conversation towards you must've just been a diversion to hide his real tactics from us!

**He isn't cunning or evil!**

You'll see the error of your ways! I've been given permission to snoop!

**By who? Oh, no. PLEASE tell me you didn't give him permission, Moony!**

_I didn't give him permission._

**You're lying.**

…_So?_

**Guys, I'm telling you, Harry is not trying to steal Lily from me! He was honestly trying to get Lily to stop talking to him and talk to me instead! Lily was just being Lily and being nice to the new kid. He wasn't trying to steal Lily!**

_See Padfoot? There was nothing to be suspicious about. You really need to stop being so paranoid of poor innocent Harry._

WHAT? I AM NOT BEING PARANOID! _YOU_ ARE BEING PARANOID! I STARTED BEING PARANOID AFTER YOU STARTED BEING PARANOID! YOU'RE A LIAR AND ABANDON YOUR FRIENDS!

_No need to shout_.

I AM NOT SHOUTING.

**You're writing in capital letters. That's considered shouting, just through quill and parchment.**

To quote Moony, YOU ARE INSUFFURABLE!

_I seem to have finally rubbed off on Sirius._

It would be very wise of you to stay quiet, Moony.

**Okay, Sirius, here's the thing. Harry is innocent. He hasn't done anything wrong. So you are hereby banned from being suspicious of him lying, declaring any of his behavior suspicious, or snooping.**

_I second that._

Fine! I won't be suspicious of Harry anymore, no matter how much it pains me…or hurts your chances with Lily.

_Shut up_.

**I second that.**

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

* * *

**Sirius the Snooper's Observations of the Evil Twin (AKA Harry "The Liar" Potter!)**

_**Day One (Midnight, Boys Dormitory)**_

Yes! I am completely ignoring Prongs and Moony and carrying out my observations of the Evil Twin, or Harry Potter, or Harry "The Liar" Potter, or Big-Fat-Stinking-LIAR! Whatever name suits you. I am being forced to carry out my observations in secret and only entering my observations in this neat little notebook at night…or whenever Prongs and Moony aren't looking.

I am going to record any suspicious behavior or actions of Harry Potter to prove or disprove (hopefully prove) ONE THING: He is after Lily Evans and trying to steal her from James! My observations begin tomorrow. So far, all Harry's done is scratch his nose in his sleep. I have half a mind to do the old whip-cream and quill trick, but Moony and Prongs would kill me for doing it. So it begins in the morning!

---

_**Day One (Lunch, School Kitchens)**_

Damn it! Harry must've suspected we were getting suspicious and decided to act calm! But, on the other hand, he was abnormally calm for a Tuesday. I mean, who the hell is calm on a Tuesday? You want to know what's worse? I actually saw him smile at one of Professor Flitwick's jokes. Who smiles at Professor Flitwick's jokes?! Besides Remus and Lily, I mean.

This unfortunately does not prove mine and Remus' theory. Well, it's mostly my theory now since Remus ABANDONED ME AT THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE! More observation is necessary. For now, I will observe this piece of apple pie the elves just brought!

---

**_Day One (After Dinner, Boys Dormitory)_**

Harry just disappeared from the common room saying he has to go to the library. Well, I checked the map and he's sure enough heading there. But why would he need to go to the library. He said he needs a book for Potions but I don't believe one bit of it. I'm going to "borrow" James' Invisibility Cloak and watch him in there. Luckily, James is busy with Head Boy duties, so he won't notice it gone and I'll have it back in there before he realizes it's gone.

---

**_Day Two (Midnight, Boys Dormitory)_**

Bloody hell! It was hard to spy on him and avoid Madam Pince at the same time. But I didn't get any information on Harry. All he did was walk in, look for a book, and get trailed by me. I thought he was about to find me for a second. He must've felt the power of my gaze or something because he turned his head around so fast I had to step back really quickly. Not because I was worried he would see me or anything, mainly from impulse. I mean, honestly, if you're spying on somebody you're going to jump and attempt to hide if they look around to where you're standing before you remember you've "borrowed" your best friend's Invisibility Cloak.

Then I had to jump around Madam Pince because she came to put some books on the shelf. Merlin! That woman is scary looking! I think she sensed my presence as well because she kind of froze in the middle of putting a book up so I had to back slowly away. But Harry didn't do anything suspicious for the rest of the evening. He came back to the common room, did his essay, and went to bed where he still is now. I must observe over the next few days to see what he does. I MUST PROVE MY THEORY AND PROVE PRONGS AND MOONY ARE _WRONG!_

_---_

_**Day Four (Noon, Library)**_

Now for my observations over the past few days…NOTHING! I thought Harry would have some suspicious behavior, but apparently not. He's just been normal. Normal as an evil, twisted, pathological liar can be. Plus, he's been acting kind of odd around me. He's probably noticed I've been giving him kind of weird looks lately. The worst part is, MOONY KNOWS! Well, maybe it's good. Depends on how you look at it.

I was walking up the stairs with Moony. Damn him! He distracted me with his constant ramblings, naggings, and big word…usage…thing. So just as I was busy rolling my eyes…I forgot the vanishing step. I NEVER FORGET THE VANISHING STEP! IT'S ALWAYS FRANK! So, along with sinking in to it, my bag fell and this little notebook fell out. So of COURSE book-loving Moony picks up all of my books that have been scattered around and leaves me in the vanishing step to suffer! Then he got to the notebook, which had fallen open. Very tense silence as I sink in to the step even further and Moony stands frozen, bent over the notebook and a hand outstretched. Finally he bends down picks it up. But to my utmost HORROR he puts every book but the notebook back in my bag.

"Sirius," he says waving the book in front of me. "what is this?" Oh boy. I am so busted. Moony is going to kill me for going behind him and Prongs.

"Er," I falter. "proof that I ignore everything you and Prongs tell me to do?" Moony raises his eyebrows and opens his mouth. I expect him to yell, I expect him to scold. I brace myself for the worst.

"What've you found out?" he asks.

Wait. WHAT? Did Moony seriously ask me how my observations of Harry Potter were going? Yes, he did. This is unreal.

"Besides the fact he sneezed yesterday at lunch…I got nothing," I admitted. Remus sighed and stowed the notebook in my bag.

"You're horrible at this whole snooping business, Sirius." With that he helped me out of the step and handed me my bag. I have vowed to be more suspicious without letting Harry know that I'm being suspicious of him.

Wait…Alice and Lily just walked in to the library. YES! They're sitting at a table one row over! I can see them through a crack in the books. Thankfully their backs are turned to me so they shouldn't notice…unless they turn around. Please don't let them do that! I shall record their conversation!

Lily: So, what should we start on first? Potions or Herbology?

Great! They're doing HOMEWORK. This is completely boring. I don't want to watch them do homework, let alone LISTEN to them. Wait, maybe I can get some answers for my own homework! No, NO! I am supposed to be spying on Harry! Harry POTTER! Not Lily EVANS! I should go and fi-

Alice: Pick a color.

Lily: Hmmmmm…Orange.

They're doing that dumb paper game. These are supposed to be the two smartest girls in our year. What has the Magical World COME TO?????

Alice: Pick a number

Lily: Three

Alice: one…two…three. Pick another.

Lily: Eight.

Alice: Hmmmmm...You will give your best friend the answers to the Potions homework.

Lily: Not a chance.

Alice: Fine. Pick another color.

Lily: Er…purple.

Alice: p-u-r-p-l-e. Number.

Lily: Two.

Alice: one…two. Another.

Lily: Five.

Alice: Okay…you will admit to your best friend that you are head over heels for a certain Mr. Po-

Lily: _Shut up!_

Wait, Lily's fallen for somebody? What if it's James? YES!

Alice: Come on Lily, just admit you like Potter.

YES! LILY LIKES JAMES! LILY LIKES JAMES! IT'S A MIRACLE! I COULD _SING_! Wait, bad idea. Madam Pince would kick me out of the library. Not that I wouldn't mind it or anything. I just don't want to get kicked out before I find out anymore to this conversation.

Lily: He has a first name!…Besides, I'm not really sure if I do like him or not.

Wait, what are you TALKING ABOUT LILY? OF COURSE YOU LIKE JAMES!

Alice: Plus you've been obsessing about him lately. The way he looks, the way he smiles, the way he talks…now I know how you felt when I wouldn't stop rambling about Frank.

Lily likes James! Lily likes James! Lily likes James! Lily likes James! I would totally do a victory dance if it weren't for the fact that my theory was just disproved and it would give away my hiding place and Lily would totally kill me or eavesdropping on her conversation. I have seen her perform some pretty bad hexes and jinxes.

Lily: Fine! I like him! But come on, it's hard NOT to.

WOOHOO!

Lily: I mean, his perfectly messy black hair, his smile-

Forget what I wrote earlier, this conversation just might make me puke.

Lily: -he's really nice too-

I'll give her credit for that. James is the nicest bloke you'll ever meet in the country. He just doesn't show it…very much.

Lily: -but at the same time he's kind of mysterious-

Okay, she obviously sees something in James the rest of us are blind to. I mean, James Potter…mysterious?

Lily: -he seems like somebody you can have a serious conversation with-

…That's kind of James…I guess.

Lily: Plus have you SEEN his eyes? They're the most startling color of green it's almost a bit shocking.

Great, now they're talking about James' eye color. Who would waste their time talking about James' eye color?. Wait…James' eyes aren't green. They're hazel. Is Lily color blind or something? She must be. Why else would she mistake James' eyes for green instead of hazel?

Alice: So…you like Harry Potter?

Lily: I think we've established earlier that I do and that you're not to repeat it to ANYBODY!

Lily likes Harry! Lily likes Harry! LILY LIKES-wait. _LILY LIKES HARRY?!?!?!?!?!?!_

This isn't good. Not good at all.


	8. Lily likes HARRY!

**Author's Note: Thanks for all of the amazing reviews last chapter!: **skittles, **piggy396, **Loveable Lauren, **Disko Rhapsody,** **smidget, xflint, blueoctober, Kara Adar, DogLover258, ring mah b3ll, aftertwoday, Fire From Above, **A. Nonny Muss, **LaughableBlackStorm, **meeeee

**Thanks alot you guys. Now for the disclaimer I keep telling myself to do but never get around to but I have finally decided to do: I wish I owned Harry Potter but I sadly don't. None of the characters in the story belong to me. What a sad day! Enjoy the new chapter. **

**-opungo**

* * *

Harry and James were sitting on couch in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. Harry was reading a book on Hogwarts Quidditch James had lent him. James himself was attempting to understand a chapter out of his Charms book, occasionally asking Remus who was sitting at a table working on his own homework.

"Hey Remus," James began.

"No," Remus cut him off, not even looking up. James sighed.

"I was just going to-"

"No."

"But I just-"

"No."

"Will you just-"

"No."

"I-"

"No."

"R-"

"No."

"_Do you know where Sirius is?_" James yelled. Remus finally looked up.

"Oh," he said quietly. "No I don't. Haven't seen him since before lunch. But he'll be back soon, it's almost dinner." Almost as if on cue, the bell rang and people started streaming in through the portrait hole to put away their bags before dinner. Among them were Lily and Alice who, to James' surprise, came over.

"Hello," Lily greeted leaning over the back of the couch slightly. James and Harry smiled a little and said quiet hellos back while Remus gave them an odd look and started putting his stuff back in his bag. "What're you reading?" she asked curiously to the two of them.

"Charms," James said automatically, shutting his book with a snap and waving it a little in the air.

"Quidditch," Harry said happily waving the book a little in the air as well. Lily shook her head amusingly.

"Boys and Quidditch," she muttered. Alice, standing behind her, rolled her eyes. "and it's nice to see Remus is finally rubbing off on you," she added to James. His smile faltered a little. "I'll see you boys at dinner." With that, she departed up the stairs with Alice to put their bags away. No sooner had they disappear than did Sirius reappear.

He looked as if he had run all over the castle…or had a bad encounter with the Bloody Baron. Whatever happened, he was panting and looked very white. With a cry of exhaustion, he collapsed on the hearthrug in front of the fire.

"Hello, Sirius," Remus said without even looking up. Sirius waved his hand in the air.

"Hubo Remuff," Sirius mumbled in to the rug. James smiled and gestured to Harry to hand the book over. Harry did and James crept quietly over to Sirius.

"Hey Sirius," James greeted. "thanks for volunteering to put my books back up in the dormitory." James said this rather quickly. He then bolted to the portrait hole, Harry at his heels.

"Or bel-HEY!" Sirius shouted lifting his head from the hearthrug. "I DIDN'T VOLUNTEER TO DO THAT!" Too late, James and Harry were gone. Sirius groaned, pushed himself up on his feet and grabbed James' book before slowing making his way up to the dormitory.

"Could you _be_ any slower?" came Remus' voice from behind him. Sirius turned around to see a rather grumpy-looking Remus so he decided to tease him some by dragging his feet extra slow. "Sirius…" Remus said warningly. Sirius picked up his pace and flung open the door to the seventh year boy's dormitory.

"I've got something for you to read," Sirius said, tossing a notebook over to Remus. Remus caught and flipped it open as Sirius threw the books on to James' bed and his own bag on to his.

"_Friday, November 25 To-Do List_," Remus read aloud. "_Seven o'clock, homework; seven-fifty-five to eight-thirty-five, snog in the second floor broom cupboard._ What the hell?" Sirius frantically grabbed the notebook away from a very white Remus.

"Wrong notebook. You never saw that. Forget what you read," Sirius said quickly, stowing the notebook back in his bag.

"Consider it forgotten," Remus said quietly. "and consider my mind permanently scarred by this experience."

"No problem," Sirius replied, extracting a different notebook from his bag and handing it to Remus. Other than an outcry of protest that he wasn't a "book-lover" Remus was quiet while reading and paler than he had been when he read the first notebook by mistake when he was done reading the second.

"So Lily-"

"Yes," Sirius answered for Remus.

"You sure you didn't-"

"No, I heard right."

"So she's-"

"-fallen for Harry."

"Stop-"

"-finishing my sentences. Sorry."

"This is bad."

"Really bad."

"That still counts as finishing my sentence."

"I'm not finishing it, I'm just adding on."

"Could you be serious for just one minute?"

"But I _am_-"

"Oh, don't even start with that horrible pun. It stopped being funny around fourth year."

"Sorry, but a pun is a pun."

Remus sighed. "James won't be too happy about this." Sirius nodded in agreement.

"When should we tell him? Now or later?" Sirius asked. They both thought about this for a moment and said, "Now," at the exact same time.

"Just make sure you hand him the right notebook," Remus said as they left the dormitory. "What we're about to tell him will be damage enough."

* * *

James and Harry were sitting at the Gryffindor table, doing the "weird coordination thing" with their meal, when somebody sat down next to them. They both looked up, expecting it to be Remus, Sirius, or even Peter, but it was-

"Hey, Lily," James greeted, smiling. Lily smiled back. Harry, who was at first happy that he would get to see his parents get together, was slightly disgusted at that moment and had to resist the urge to let out a cry of disgust.

"I just wanted to remind you we have a meeting with the Prefect's tonight," Lily began. Harry noticed that James was trying very hard not to roll his eyes.

"Professor Dumbledore let me know earlier, but thanks for the reminder," James added quickly. "What time does it start again?" Lily sighed.

"Seven-thirty," she said. "and it ends at eight o'clock. So we can do rounds afterwards." James nodded and opened his mouth to say something but Lily turned to Harry. "So, enjoying Hogwarts?" she asked. Harry nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "It's great. James has really helped-" Lily cut him off.

"So, what was your old school like?" she asked. Harry shrugged.

"Not very big. Tiny compared to this place," Harry lied. "I would be completely lost if-"

"Hey, I've been curious about this for a while. How'd you get that scar?" Harry instinctively flattened his fringe as he felt his heart drop to his stomach. _I got it because you died trying to protect me_.

"I was in a car crash when I was little." He never thought he'd see the day he used one of Aunt Petunia's lies. Lily nodded and then her eyes grew wide with sudden understanding.

"Please don't tell me that your parents were-" she was unable to finish the sentence. Harry nodded grimly.

"I was only a year old at the time, no big deal," Harry said in a hopefully-calm voice. It must not have been one because all the sudden, Lily stood up and wrapped Harry in a friendly hug. "Lily! It's alright!" Harry choked out, bewildered yet comforted by his mother's hug. It was probably one of the unluckiest moments in Harry's life because as his future-mother hugged him, Remus and Sirius walked in to the Great Hall. Lily stepped away from Harry.

"Sorry, you just looked kind of sad when you said that," Lily apologized. She was a brilliant shade of red. Somehow she managed to say in a rather formal tone, "I'll see you at the meeting, James." She started to walk away but turned around to wave a little and call out, "Bye Harry!"

The two Potters stared after her, slightly confused at what had just happened. Then Remus and Sirius ran up to them and both seized one of James' arms.

"Come with us for a minute," Sirius said dragging James out of his seat.

"But they have shepherd's pie!" James cried out in a desperate attempt to get his friends to let him stay. Sirius looked as if he was going to consider this for a moment, but Remus kept his mind on things, even if there was food involved.

"This is more important than food, James," Remus said. James threw a shocked and bewildered look at his friend. How could he possibly suggest that there were more important things in life than _food_? They both began to drag James out of the Great Hall, making a bit of a scene because James was putting up a fight to stay with the shepherd's pie.

"I'll see you back in the dormitory!" Harry called after them. James waved at him in response. Sirius and Remus merely glanced up and continued dragging James out of the Great Hall.

* * *

"What's this all about?" James asked when his friends had forced him all the way up to the dormitory.

"Read that," Sirius said, thrusting a notebook at James. He eyed his friend curiously then flipped it open to the first page. A moment later, he snapped it shut.

"Well," James said. "At least I know what broom closet to look in tonight." Sirius snatched the book away in horror and embarrassment as Remus doubled up in laughter.

"How do I always mange to give people the wrong books?" he asked bewilderedly. James shrugged while grinning. Sirius found the right notebook and gave it to James. "That's the right book!" Sirius said triumphantly. "As a warning, you might not like what you see." James snorted.

"Is this a detailed account of the times you got past snogging?" James asked jokingly, then he suddenly turned very white. "I don't want to read this anymore," he said quickly, trying to give Sirius the notebook back. Sirius pushed it back at him.

"Yeah, you do mate," Sirius insisted. James sighed and opened the notebook while Remus and Sirius nervously waited for him to finish by eating Chocolate Frogs. Finally, James sighed and closed the book with a snap. Sirius looked up to see a disappointed James. "Sorry, mate," he said. James shook his head.

"I should've listened to you, Sirius." James tossed the notebook back at Sirius. "I should've known. I was just in denial. I really should've caught on earlier. All the clues were there, lying out in front of me and screaming my name, but of course I didn't listen. I was being incredibly stupid. I can't believe I never saw it before!" James said exasperatingly. Remus sighed.

"You still have a chance, mate," Remus said. James looked up at his friend.

"Oh yeah? How?" James inquired. Before he could answer, Harry entered the dormitory.

"Hello," he greeted. He walked over to James and held out a napkin, which held a small piece of shepherd's pie. "I nicked this for you." Harry stood there smiling a little as he held out the pie to his dad who was staring determinedly at his feet. Harry's smile faltered a little. "James?" Harry held out the napkin a little more. Finally James looked up with his face contorted with cold fury.

"Sod off," James said coldly. With that, he stormed out of the dormitory, Remus and Sirius at his heels as a bewildered Harry stayed behind, still holding the pie and staring at the place James was just at. Then, Harry quickly regained his short temper he had since the _Daily Prophet_ and half the school started calling him a nutter and threw the pie forcefully at the window.

* * *

**Poor Harry, sad again. There'll still be some laughs, I promise. This story isn't going to continue to be depressing. Thanks for reading.**


	9. Playing with Food

**Author's Note: July 21st! That's the day that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out! I saw the article in the newspaper today and I was like: ... Quickly followed by a "FWHEE!". I even cut the article out and plan to frame it. Yes, I know. I'm obsessed. This little announcement inspired me to finish up with this chapter and post it. Enjoy!**

* * *

So, James, me and Moony got a question… 

**What is it?**

Do we hate Harry?

**What?**

_Well, we know you're ticked off at him and we weren't sure if you wanted us to hate him as well. We've been avoiding him just in case._

…**Feel however you want about him.**

_Okay, thanks for clearing that up for us._

**Can I get back to turning this frog pink?**

Yes. Go Ahead.

**Thank you.**

So, Moony…

_Yes?_

Do we hate Harry?

_What do you think?_

Is that a "yes"?

_You're getting thicker by the minute._

Stop being so vague! Would it kill you to give a direct answer every once in a while?

_Yes._

It would NOT kill you! I was being sarcastic.

_I didn't mean "yes, it would kill me", I meant "yes, I hate Harry"._

Oh. Well, you're not alone.

_I guessed. You're not to subtle when you decide you don't like people._

I'm being subtle with my dislike of Harry! I haven't pulled any revenge pranks on him or anything.

_Maybe not, but you do get "the look" when he's around._

"The look"?

_Yes, "the look". It's this "I-hate-that-person-over-there-and-he-is-SO-going-down," look._

Oh! THAT look. Yeah, once again, I need to learn to be subtler.

_And once again, yeah you do. So, are you just going to stop with the look or are you going further._

What does that mean?

_Are you planning on pulling any "revenge pranks" as you put it?_

MOONY! What kind of person do you think I AM?!

_So I take that as a yes?_

Of course! Honestly, Moony, why wouldn't I pull any pr-wait a minute…How do I know this isn't some Prefect trick to get me in trouble.

_Because, I DEMAND to help._

You want to help?

_Yes._

Really?

_Yes._

You sure?

_Yes!_

REALLY sure?

_Sirius! I want to help! Now either agree to it or I will put you in detention the next time I catch you in the broom closet with a girl!_

You don't even know the next time I'm planning one of those.

_Check your bag…_

MOONY! GIVE ME MY NOTEBOOK BACK!

_If you agree to let me help._

Fine! I agree! Just give it back! Please!

_Stop crying over it. What's the exact plan?_

To get revenge on Harry for stealing Lily by causing him emotional pain, making him look like a fool, and in the process get Lily to fall for James instead.

_Sounds kind of complicated._

I am a brilliant Marauder! It makes perfect sense to me! Okay, I lied, it does sound a bit complicated, which is why it requires careful planning.

_Good thing I'm in on this._

Yes. Very good thing.

* * *

Harry wasn't happy. That was a major understatement. James now hated for some unknown reason and Sirius and Remus both seemed to hate him too. Harry wasn't sure they hated him as well, but they had been avoiding him lately and given him weird looks. The two of them both started having whispered conversations and whenever Harry entered the room they stopped abruptly until he left again. 

Harry would wish they'd stop. It was bad enough when his fellow classmates were whispering about him; he didn't need his future teacher and godfather talking about him as well. When Harry walked in to the Great Hall for breakfast on Wednesday, he didn't spot Sirius and Remus, but James threw him a dark look that plainly said, "Sit near me and die!"

He was just wondering if he should grab a bit of toast and run off somewhere like he had been for the last few days when he heard his name being called. He turned his head around to see Lily and Alice sitting not too far away, motioning for him to sit. Harry hesitated for a moment then sat down across from them.

"Haven't seen you at breakfast, lately," Lily remarked when he had sat down. Harry shrugged.

"I haven't really felt like eating a big breakfast, lately," Harry said. "I've just been having a bit of toast." Lily nodded. Just then there was a loud uproar of noise at the Hufflepuff table. All it took was one glance to see that two fourth years had gotten in to a fight. Lily sighed and rolled her eyes.

"The joys of being Head Girl," she said sarcastically. She pushed herself up from the table and dashed over to the Hufflepuffs, her wand raised.

"Poor, Lily," Alice remarked. Harry watched her try and break it up until James stepped in to help as well. He turned glumly back to his cereal. Then…it happened.

There was a loud explosion of sound. It sounded as if something rather heavy had hit the surface of water. Almost like the time Dudley did a cannonball in to a pool and got Harry sopping wet. But this time, it wasn't pool water that was covering Harry; it was his milk and cereal.

"Harry! Are you okay?" Alice asked over the laughs in the Great Hall. Harry lowered his arms he had flung up in front of him to shield his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Harry assured her. He grabbed a napkin and began to wipe the cereal off of his hand. After several moments of this, Harry realized with horror that it wasn't coming off. The cereal seemed stuck to his hand.

"Oh!" Alice cried out in shock. It didn't take long to find out what she was so shocked about. Little bits of cereal were slowly creeping their way up his arm, popping up like warts. He put a cereal-covered hand to his head to discover that the cereal that had gotten in his hair was doing the same. "Come on," Alice said, wrenching him up out of his seat. She looked frantic. "We should get to the hospital wing."

"This is _exactly_ why children shouldn't be playing with food!" Madam Pomfrey said when Harry had been brought to the hospital wing and set down on a bed. Harry sighed.

"I wasn't playing with my food!" Harry said exasperatingly. He heard cracking noises from the bits of cereal covering his chin when he talked. Madam Pomfrey still shook her head.

"It's true," Alice chimed in. "I was there. One moment I was watching James and Lily trying to break up a fight between two Hufflepuffs and the next, Harry's cereal exploded." The tip of Harry's nose sprouted a piece of cereal just after she said this. Madam Pomfrey sighed and put her hands on her hips, examining Harry.

"A simple potion should fix this," she muttered to herself. She walked over to her office and Harry could hear the clinking of glass as she searched for the right potion and a moment later she came back with a glass of blue liquid that smelled like pepper. Both Harry and Alice sneezed when she came near with it. Harry dislodged some of the cereal when he did this, but it grew back just as quickly as it came. Harry pinched his nose as Madam Pomfrey handed him the potion and he drank it all in one gulp. There was a moment when Harry feared it wouldn't work then with a great clatter, the cereal fell off him al at once, scattering across the hospital wing floor.

"You're free to go," she said, taking out her wand and making the scattered cereal zoom in to the wastebasket. Harry left the hospital wing with Alice, hoping that another incident like the one with his cereal wouldn't happen again.


	10. Sirius the Snooper and Moony the Maniac

**Author's Note: 5 months and 17 days until the end of Harry Potter (sad). I think R.A.B. is Regulus Black (watch me be wrong). This chapter is longer than the last, enjoy.**

* * *

Hey, James, why are you looking so sour? 

**Lily…**

_What happened?_

**What happened? YOU TWO BLOODY IDIOTS IS WHAT HAPPENED!**

You punctured a hole in the parchment.

_Not helping, Padfoot._

Just trying to lighten the mood. I'm the comic relief whenever James is being grumpy about Lily and you're nose has a Permanent Sticking Charm to a book.

_HEY!_

Well it's true. The way you walk around with books sometimes! Snogging girls is MUCH more interesting!

_What's interesting about it? The snogging or the detention you always get for it afterwards?_

Tough choice. Detentions are kind of fun. Except when I have to serve them with Filch.

_I was being sarcastic you idiot!. You. Are. A. Big. Humungous. Idiot._

**BOTH of you are big, humungous idiots! What possessed you to do that?**

…Do what?

_Would you be referring to the cereal incident this morning?_

**Yes.**

Mate, it's all part of our brilliant plan!

**Excuse me; did you say "brilliant"?**

I sure did.

**How is blowing up somebody's cereal and making them grow cereal all over their skin, brilliant?**

_Our plan is to humiliate Harry and make him look like a fool in front of Lily and in the process get Lily to fall for you and forget Harry._

**Sounds complicated.**

_Why do you think I'm helping out?_

**Ah. Oh, back to my anger. YOUR STUPID PLAN IS ALREADY BACKFIRING!**

How?

**Lily was fussing over Harry until she saw him coming in to the class. Then Alice told her exactly what happened and it got WORSE!**

Oops.

**Yeah, you should of heard her. "Poor Harry!…I can't believe anybody would do that to him!…I hope Harry's okay…I hope Harry is fine…I hope Madam Pomfrey will be able to fix Harry up…" Harry, Harry, Harry! I HATE THAT NAME SO MUCH!**

Don't worry Prongs, we'll try harder.

**TRY HARDER????? YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT HAS LILY TALKING ABOUT HIM NON-STOP! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I WANT THIS MESSED UP EVEN MORE?**

_Calm down, Prongs. Breathe. Ignore Padfoot's comment and let me explain. What you saw today at breakfast was just laying the groundwork._

…**groundwork? For what? For getting Lily to completely ignore me forever? Well, I can tell you now it's already working. I can tell you right now what's probably going to happen on our patrol tonight. "Harry...Harry...Harry...Harrry...Harry..." HAVE I MENTIONED I HATE THAT NAME????**

_Yes, you'e mentioned you hate that name and no we aren't planning on getting Lily to ignore you forever._

**What exactly are you planning to do?**

It involves some snooping!

**Please tell me you're at least going to give yourself a better nickname.**

What's wrong with Sirius the Snooper? They both start with "S"! It fits!

**Do you have to call yourself that?**

No. I only refer to myself as that in the snoop book.

_Snoop book?_

Yes. The notebook I enter my spying and snooping adventures in.

_Snoop book?_

Wait, don't tell me, you think it's a horrible name

_SNOOP BOOK?_

**That's a yes, Padfoot.**

HOW COME EVERYBODY MAKES FUN OF THE NAMES I COME UP WITH????

**Because they're stupid.**

_Incredibly stupid._

**Stupid doesn't even begin to describe it.**

_That's how stupid the names are._

I don't care. I am still sticking with "Sirius the Snooper" and "snoop book" and there's nothing you can do to convince me to change them.

_I got some Honeyduke's Chocolate upstairs._

…Chocolate?

_Yes. Chocolate. Imagine it: a luscious milk chocolate bar melting in your mouth as you take a bite in to it. Your taste buds soar as you chew and swallow the sweet, sweet chocolate and bite in the crunchy almonds._

**Moony, stop, there's a drool puddle on the desk.**

_Oh, sorry. Sirius, I lied. I have no chocolate upstairs._

YOU EVIL PERSON!

_You'll live._

No I won't! This is chocolate we're talking about, Moony! CHOCOLATE!

**Two things. One, there's always chocolate in the kitchens. Two, we weren't even talking about chocolate in the first place.**

We weren't? Wait, they have chocolate in the kitchens???

_No and yes. We started talking about how we're idiots, progressed to your horrible naming-skills, and then we went to chocolate._

CHOCOLATE?

**You're a hopeless case, Padfoot.**

You sound like McGonagall.

_Ouch!_

**Me as McGonagall...I think I might barf.**

NOT ON THE PARCHMENT!

**No, don't worry, the feeling passed.**

Good.

**So. What are you planning on doing to Harry next?**

It's a surprise. I will tell you, however, I have a large number of plans and you shouldn't even bother trying to look for them in any notebook because I've stored all of them in my head.

**What'll you do about the Lily falling for me bit?**

_I'll be prodding Lily towards you and convincing her that she likes the wrong Potter. I also plan to make Harry seem the exact opposite of what she thinks he is. _

**Thank goodness it's you and not Padfoot!**

HEY! I COULD DO JUST A GOOD A JOB AS MOONY!

**Remember the last time you tried to help me out with Lily?**

Not really.

_Let me refresh your memory. Imagine, we're in sixth year, in the Gryffindor common room, and it's jam-packed with students. You suddenly bound down the dormitory staircase and bellow, "OI! EVANS! FANCY A SNOG WITH JAMES? I CAN RECOMMNED SOME NICE BROOM CLOSETS FOR THE TWO OF YOU!"_

Oh yeah! Lily sent me to the hospital wing for three full days…Moony, I hand the dangerous task of handling Lily to you. I wish you good luck and advise you to duck whenever you feel the need.

**Yeah, you might want to listen to Sirius on the last bit. When with Lily, learn to duck. Nice to know who the trustworthy ones in the group are**

HEY! I'm trustworthy! I haven't blabbed any of your secrets to anybody. Not even you, MOONy!

_Okay, I get it._

**You sure you guys can't tell me anything about what your planning?**

Absolutely.

_Completely._

Thoroughly.

_Wholly._

Utterly.

_Unanimously._

Totally.

**Please, both of you need to shut up.**

_We were going to stop anyway._

Yeah, we ran out of words to describe how sure we were.

**Thank Merlin.**

I thought you'd be happy that I've extended my vocabulary.

**Extended your vocabulary? I saw Moony whispering to you what to write when you got stuck for a new word.**

_No you didn't._

**Yeah, I did. You're a terrible liar, Moony. We found that out back in second year.**

_Shut up._

It's true!

_You should still shut up._

**I'll get Sirius to shut up. But I'm still mad at you guys.**

_You won't be for long_

**Okay, I don't get. I have a reason to be mad. I've liked Lily for years and then this guy shows up and steals her affection. A guy who looks JUST LIKE ME I might add. Besides the eyes. Why are you guys mad?**

We're being good friends.

**Thanks.**

_You're welcome, Jealous Prongs._

**Shut up, Moony.**

* * *

**THE RETURN OF SIRIUS THE SNOOPER**

With help from Moony the Maniac

_I demand a different name!_

No.

**_Day One (After Dinner, Gryffindor Common Room)_**

_I thought you already had a day one._

That was with the old book. I'm starting a new book so I'm starting over with the day count.

_Oh yeah, because THAT makes a load of sense._

You're being sarcastic aren't you Maniac?

_Yes and I DEMAND A DIFFERENT NAME!_

No.

_I'm going to explain what this notebook is for before I kill you. I will document my attempts to point Lily in the direction of James and Sirius will document his attempts at embarrassing Harry and making him look like a fool to the entire school, especially Lily._

We begin tomorrow!

_Why tomorrow?_

I'm tired.

_May I remind you that we're supposed to be good friends to James right now?_

May I also remind you that my mind does not work too well if I'm too tired or too hungry?

_Sirius…_

Night maniac!

_NAME CHANGE! NAME CHANGE! NAME CHANGE!!!!! I WANT A NAME CHANGE!_

**_Day Two (Boys Dormitory, After Dinner)_**

_I'm putting in my attempts to prod Lily toward James before Sirius puts in his attempt to embarrass Harry. So, I was in the library on a break period, mainly because Lily was in there too. Yes, I used the map to see if she was in there. So I spotted her in the Transfiguration section at a table. The poor girl. Charms is her forte, not Transfiguration. So she had plenty of books spread out to help out with the essay she was working on. So I walked casually over and sat down. Here's how it went._

_Lily(without looking up from her essay): Hello, Remus._

_Me: Hey, Lily. What're you working on?_

_Lily: The most evil subject in the world._

_Me: Divination wasn't that bad. Except for when the loony teacher kept on making bad predictions about Sirius…and Peter…and when she predicted both you and James would die._

_Lily: Oh, very funny, Remus._

_Me: So how ARE you coming on in Transfiguration?_

_Lily(sighing): Horrible. I-I got a P on the last homework assignment McGonagall gave us._

_Me: Oh, I'm sorry Lily._

_Lily: You can't tell anybody or I will pull your lip over your head and force you to swallow it!_

_Me: I won't! I swear! Don't hurt me!_

_Lily: I won't…for now. Hey, do you think Harry might be able to help me with this essay?_

_Me: Er...no. Absolutely not. You might be terrible at but Harry is like a Transfiguration dunce! Did you see his first attempt at the armadillo we were supposed to be changing in to a beaver yesterday? Not only did it look like experimental breeding but the thing was rabid! It bit the Hufflepuff Harry was sitting next to! McGonagall had to stun it to get it off of him!_

_Lily: He got it eventually. After James and Sirius._

_Me: Then why don't you ask James! He was the first to get out of the entire class._

_Lily: Harry seems easier to work with…_

_Me: No, trust me, he isn't. James is practically teacher material! Seriously, ask him! He's had top marks in Transfiguration since we were in first year._

_Lily: James will hit on me if I ask him._

_Me: No he won't. I'll talk to him if you agree to ask him!_

_Lily: Fine! I'll ask him-_

_Me: Great!_

_Lily: -after I ask Harry first._

_Me: But, Harry will say "no" automatically!_

_Lily: How can you be sure of that?_

_Me: I share a dormitory with him! I know what makes Harry tick. I can tell you right now he'll say no and even in the event he says yet he'll be rude, unhelpful-_

_Lily: How could you talk about Harry like that?_

_Me: By moving my jaw up and down and making my mouth form different shapes._

_Lily: Remus Lupin, you know for a fact that's not what I meant._

_Me: Okay, I know. Just put the very sharp and pointy quill down._

_Lily: Would you ask Harry for me?_

_Me: Sure. I'll do that. I have to go now, I'll see you later._

_Lily: Bye Remus._

_I lied. No way was I going to ask Harry that. It'd be the perfect opportunity for him to hypnotize Lily even more! So I lied again and told Lily that Harry said he couldn't do it and his excuse was he was too busy with his own homework and organizing his Chocolate Frog card collection to help anybody else._

LAME! VERY LAME EXCUSE!

_Shut it, Sirius. Let's hear about your attempt to embarrass Harry._

Er…lovely weather!

_I take it didn't go too well._

No, it'll take a lot more to embarrass this guy.

_What did you do?_

Stop interrupting and let me get on with my story, Maniac!

_Grrrrrrrrr_

So, here's what happened. Harry is strolling along the Charms corridor, which is packed with people. So I get this sudden surge of brilliance! In the Charms corridor, too! Completely amazing. Anyway, I pull out my wand pointed at Harry and say (nonverbally, I might add) "_Diffindo!_"

_Oh, I was passing at the time and I shall remember it until the day I die._

Hey, I didn't interrupt your story, you can't interrupt mine. So, as I was saying before Moony the Maniac rudely interrupted. I said, nonverbally, "_Diffindo!_" Then there was a loud "_Rrrrrrriiiiiiiiipppp!_"

Harry's pants split in two and fell down around his knees and Harry himself fell forward. I think he had still been trying to walk when his pants fell. So the whole corridor busted out laughing when they got a glimpse of Harry's bright red boxers covered with little golden Snitches. I expected redness from embarrassment…or tears. I expected some sort of reaction! Instead, Harry glared at them all, pushed himself up, repaired his pants and ran off down the corridor, hexing several laughing people on his way

_He still reacted in a way. Not the way we were hoping for, but he still kind of reacted. But still, it definetly didn't go as planned. _

I just said that, didn't I?

_You'll have to try harder. _

So will you.

_Fine, we'll both try harder. Let's go down to the common room to tell James what we've done today. He needs a laugh, the boxer story will cheer him up._

Yeah, honestly. Red boxers with golden Snitches? James is obsessed with Quidditch and even HE doesn't have that kind of boxers.

_...How would you know that?_

I lived with him for a year. I ran away from home at sixteen and his parents treated me like their own son. Which meant normal chores! Not the horrid ones my parents made me do either. I got to do mine and James' laundry. Which also meant folding his laundy so I've seen every pair of underwear James owns.

_I'm still disturbed by the fact that you knew that._


	11. Brilliant!

The past couple of weeks weren't Harry's greatest. For one, strange things kept on happening to him. There was the cereal incident (his cereal exploded), the boxer incident (his pants ripped in the Charms corridor and revealed his boxers to everybody in it), the stairs incident (they had suddenly turned in to a slide and he wasn't trying to get up the girl's staircase at the time either), the itching powder incident (he found out far too late that his socks, pants, and pockets were filled with itching powder), the slime incident (he was in Potions when his Potion exploded by a Fillbuster Firework), the shoes incident (every pair of shoes he had mysteriously disappeared and replaced with a pair of extremely smelly old boots).

There was also the time he found himself falling asleep in Gryffindor tower and waking up outside the portrait of the Fat Lady, there was the time that a Fillbuster firework had somehow found its way in to one of the pocket's of Harry's robes, his comb had been charmed to change his hair different colors (such as pink and purple), he would suddenly find himself tripping, he'd break out in to hives and boils, and he even had to go up to the hospital wing for a curious out break in tentacles all over his body.

After the first couple days of this, Harry had a pretty good idea of who had been doing it all. The Marauder's all looked especially happy after one of the jokes they played on Harry. But their mood seemed to turn sour again and they pulled a prank on him again the very next day.

The only friend Harry seemed to have in this time was his mother, Lily, but even she seemed to be acting weird. Harry noticed that she seemed to turn as red as her hair whenever Harry entered the room. She also stammered a fair bit and on several occasions knocked over her inkbottle. Harry was thinking about this during Transfiguration while he and a Hufflepuff were trying to transfigure their desk in to a pig. Why was Lily asking like this? Was there a reason? Had Harry done something? Should he be worried?

"Your attention, please," McGonagall called to the room, snapping Harry from his train of thoughts. McGonagall walked quickly around the room and changed all of the desks back to their original forms, getting rid of the ears, snouts, and curly tails they had emitted.

"Next weekend will be a Hogsmeade weekend," McGonagall told the room. Harry was only half-listening. Lily was reminding him of somebody, Harry was sure of that now. "Same rules apply. Behave yourselves, you are representing Hogwarts." The bell rang and Lily walked from the room, wobbling slightly in her step. As she passed Harry's desk she made sure to flip her hair over her shoulder and smile widely at Harry. He felt his stomach give a jolt. His mother reminded him of Ginny when she liked him.

_No,_ Harry told himself. _Absolutely not. That would be really weird and awkward and-MY MOTHER CAN'T LIKE ME! No, I am being paranoid._

Even though Harry told himself he was being paranoid he made sure to avoid not only the Marauder's but Lily as well. He was worried that a Hogsmeade weekend plus the possibility of his mother having feelings for him would be trouble. This was getting difficult. With Harry's luck, he was going to be stuck in this time forever.

On break periods and after dinner, Harry took to carefully going around the castle with the Invisibility Cloak and Marauder's Map. This was the only way he could deal with everybody at once. As long as he was unseen, it was fine.

Unfortunately, the Marauder's were still trying to pursue him constantly. Harry had to constantly dive through secret passages so the Marauder's didn't come his way and notice with their own map that Harry was standing in an Invisibility Cloak that when removed, happened to look like James'. This was getting way too complicated for poor Harry.

On the Tuesday afternoon before Hogsmeade, Harry risked leaving the dormitory with no cloak and no map to get to the library. This was one of his worst ideas for several reasons. For one, Madam Pince always seemed to want to keep a close eye on any Potter that entered her library. Harry was scared to even get the book he wanted for fear she would screech at him.

Also, his mother happened to be in the library at the time.

"Hey, Harry!" she called out from a table. Harry stopped in his tracks and looked over at his mother. "Did you understand the Transfiguration homework?" she asked curiously, waving a hand at the many pieces of parchment and many open books spread out on the table in front of her.

"Er," Harry said looking around and thinking quickly. "to tell you the truth, no I didn't. But…" Harry spotted the one person that might be able to help him out of this horrible situation and he may be taking one step closer to getting out of this time. "_James_ knows all about it. He can help you!" James, who had been passing by at that time, looked up.

"Did one of you say my name?" James confusedly asked. Harry spoke hurriedly before his mother could.

"Yeah," said Harry. "Lily needs help with Transfiguration. You want to help her?" Harry jerked his head ever so slightly so James would get the hint. James narrowed his eyes at Harry for a second then turned to Lily and shrugged.

"I'll help if you really need it," James decided. Harry grinned as James sat down and pulled one of the pieces of parchment closer to him to examine it.

"Great, I'll see you two later." Harry ran out of the library and all the way back to the Gryffindor tower. "Frog spawn!" he said cheerily to the napping Fat Lady. She cracked an eye open.

"Somebody's happy," she yawned before swinging open. Harry scrambled through the portrait hole and up the stairs to the dormitory where he sat down on his bed and happily flipped open the book he had gotten from the library: _Quidditch Through the Ages_. Harry smiled and started to read. An hour later, when he had gone halfway through the book, a very happy James, closely followed by a very confused-looking Sirius and Remus, burst in to the room.

"That was bloody brilliant!" James cried, running over to Harry. "Okay, Lily seemed a little unhappy at first that I was helping her with Transfiguration instead of you, but she was pleasant to me, I was pleasant to her, patient, nice, and she even laughed at this rhyme I made up to help me remember something with the homework!" James was grinning widely and was literally bouncing with excitement on the spot. "She even asked me to study with her during break periods and after dinner and maybe a little during patrol duty so she's ready for the Transfiguration test on Friday!" Harry broke out in to a grin too. He thought he saw Sirius pull out a small notebook, cross something out, and put it back in to his bag.

* * *

The rest of the week seemed to pass by in a happy sort of haze for Harry. The most he remembered is that the Marauders were his friends again, the tricks played on Harry "mysteriously" stopped, and his mother seemed to be coming closer to James. It felt as if an enormous weight was lifted off of Harry's chest. 

That Friday Lily seemed extremely nervous about the Transfiguration test. Apparently, McGonagall had told her this was her last chance. Get a passing grade or get out of the class. James kept trying to calm her and go over some notes with her. It worked to some extent, but by the time they had reached the Transfiguration classroom, Lily was extremely pale and shaky. When McGonagall started to pass out the tests, Harry swore that Lily looked as if she was about to retch. McGonagall must've spotted this too because she muttered something quietly to her. Whatever she said to her, Lily shook her head in response. Everybody finished the test at different times. When the bell rang and they could all go to lunch, Lily was the only one left behind to work on her test.

"You guys go ahead," James told them when they walked out the door. "I'm going to wait and see how Lily did." So Harry, Remus, and Sirius left James outside the door to the Transfiguration classroom for lunch. They were halfway through their third helpings when James entered the Great Hall, looking extremely happy, closely followed by Lily. She also looked happy and was for some reason, red up to the roots of her hair.

"Hello," James greeted when he sat down. He was grinning widely as he eagerly scooped some food on to his plate. "Lovely day." Something was a tad bit wrong with James' cheery attitude.

"Prongs, you alright?" Sirius asked, eyeing his best friend curiously. James nodded, seeming only half-aware of what his friend asked.

"Did Lily pass?" Remus asked. James looked suddenly alert when Remus mentioned Lily he tried to hide this by shoveling some food in to his mouth and saying, "Yeff."

"Did she get an 'A'?" Harry asked. James shook his head.

"Did she get an 'E'?" Remus asked. James nodded his head.

"Did you ask her to go with you to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah," James replied. Harry and Remus gasped at this news, Sirius let out a triumphant laugh, and James grew wide-eyed, suddenly realizing what he had just said. "I-you-you tricked me in to telling!" he declared, pointing at Sirius. Sirius merely shrugged and grinned.

"I had to do it, mate," he replied casually, smiling to himself. James glared.

"You had to trick me in to telling you something that I would've told you eventually?" James inquired. Sirius' smile faltered a little.

"We'll stay out of your way tomorrow," Remus told James. Harry agreed and so did Sirius after being elbowed rather hard in the stomach by Remus. Finally, James was going to go on a date with Lily. Something finally went right for Harry.

* * *

**Author's Note: Yeah, this chapter was shorter than I would've liked. I'm sorry! I'm going to wrap this story up soon (sad). Now for a special note to some of my readers and reviewers: A few of you read my first fanfiction _James Potter and the Forging of the Order._ I'm in the planning stages for the revision. So expect to see that after this story is done.**

**--opungo**


	12. The Short, Sad, Happy, and Last Chapter

**Author's Note: This will be the last chapter. I know, sad. The ending is kind of happy though. I've written a chapter for a new story I plan on posting soon, probably a few minutes after this is posted. Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers!**

**-opungo

* * *

**

"So, Harry," Remus said nervously. "Sirius and I just wanted to apologize." Harry looked up from the display of candy he was looking at in Honeyduke's.

"For what?" Harry asked. Sirius sighed.

"Well, Harry," he said. "We thought you were trying to take Lily from James. So I've kind of been taking revenge on you. Like that firework that ended up in one of the pockets of your robes." Harry laughed.

"I guessed it was you," he explained. "It wasn't exactly hard to figure out." He threw a box of Chocolate Cauldrons on the counter to purchase them.

"We do have a question though," Remus said as Harry was handed back a bag with the Chocolate Cauldrons inside. "Who was Cedric, really?" he asked in a low voice. Harry sighed as they left the shop.

"He was a kid at my old school," Harry replied truthfully. "A couple of years above me."

"Why did you have nightmares involving him?" Sirius asked. Harry gulped.

"He got killed," he replied flatly. Both Sirius and Remus grew white. "I saw how he died, but nobody at my old school believed me. It's so frustrating!" Harry cried out kicking a wall of a shop. "Nobody believes the truth, only what they want to believe. Nobody will even listen to what I have to say." Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and he stopped in his tracks. He turned and saw Sirius standing there.

"You know the truth, mate," he told Harry. "That's what matters. You can't beat yourself up because nobody believes you. As long as you know what really happened, things will come around eventually." Harry smiled sadly. As glad as he was that he was able to talk to Sirius about what had been bothering him, it still pained him to know that he would be following his own advice in a couple of years when he found himself in Azkaban.

"Look it's James and Lily," Remus said. Sirius and Harry looked up to where Remus was pointing. Sure enough, James and Lily were walking down the road, looking thoroughly happy and as if they were having a good time. "They look happy," he commented. Sirius nodded.

"How much do you want to bet that they get together and have a kid?" Sirius asked suddenly. Harry laughed, knowing he could bet a million Galleons and easily win.

Halfway through dinner that night, Harry felt a tap on his shoulder. A first year girl was holding a folded piece of parchment in her hand. She handed it to Harry and ran off. The note said:

_Harry,_

_Please meet me in my office when you are done with dinner._

_-Professor Dumbledore_

Harry tucked the note in his pocket and finished eating his dinner, ignoring the questions from Sirius and Remus on what the note was about. "It's nothing," he told them for what felt like the thousandth time. "It doesn't concern you two. I have to go anyway." Harry set down his fork and knife and walked out of the Great Hall and up to Dumbledore's office. He smiled at Harry when he entered the office and sat down.

"Tomorrow is the day students go home for the holidays," Dumbledore said. Harry looked confused. He knew this. Why was Dumbledore telling him? "Judging by how your mother and father are acting and how you're acting with Mr. Black, you can too."

"What-Oh," Harry said. He suddenly understood what Dumbledore was telling him. "I have to go now?" Dumbledore nodded.

"I know it's hard for you," as if reading Harry's mind. "but you're going to have to leave and go back to your own time. This is your parent's time, not yours." Dumbledore offered Harry a Pepper Imp. He declined the offer with a shake of his head. "I'll meet you outside the Room of Requirement in an hour. That will give you time to put everything in your trunk."

Half an hour later, Harry was glumly stuffing his books in to his trunk along with everything else. This was it, he wasn't going to see his parents again. With a forceful snap, he closed his trunk and dragged it down the stairs to the common room, hoping that nobody would be there. No such luck. James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Frank, and Alice were sitting around the fire.

"Hey Harry," James called out. "What's the trunk for?" he asked. Harry sighed.

"I'm going home," Harry said sadly, stopping by the couch they were sitting on. James nodded. Lily however seemed to realize what Harry was saying.

"You're not coming back, are you?" she asked. Everybody snapped their head up at Harry who shook his head. "Will we see you again?" she asked. Harry thought for a moment before smiling and saying, "I can guarantee it."

They all smiled rather sadly after Harry as he dragged his trunk through the portrait hole. Dumbledore was waiting by the time Harry had gotten there.

"A bit early, aren't you?" he asked, smiling slightly. Harry tried to smile back. "I'm afraid you can only take back what you brought, so you might want to take it out of your trunk now." Harry nodded and extracted his Invisibility Cloak, map, wand, and bag. As he stuffed them in his bag, Dumbledore flicked his wand and the trunk was gone.

"Sir," Harry said. "Before I go…you're the one that first told me about this room." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with interest. "So on Christmas morning of my fourth year, around five in the morning, you'll be taking a stroll around the castle looking for a bathroom. You'll take a wrong turn and end up here and the room will be filled with chamber pots…" Harry broke off laughing. When he could control himself, he continued. "Just make sure to mention it at the feast that night." Dumbledore nodded.

"I will remember," he assured Harry. "Now I believe you really should go back. I will see you in a few years." Harry nodded and paced back and forth. _I need some place where I can think. I need some place where I can think_. A door appeared.

"I'll see you soon Professor." Harry stepped inside the room and said in his head, _I wish I could go back to my own time_. He stepped out of the room again and in to the corridor. There was light streaming in through one of the windows at the very end of it. It was day. Harry had gone back to his own time. He started to walk along the corridor, the door vanishing behind him.

"Harry!" said a voice from behind him. He looked around to see Hermione running toward him, closely followed by Ginny, who was changed in to Quidditch robes. "Please talk to Ginny, she needs some advice for today," Hermione pleaded. Harry looked at Ginny who looked a little pale.

"Sure," Harry began. He was cut off for a moment by a muffled voice that seemed to be coming from Hermione's bag. "Hermione? Are you trying to smuggle a house elf to freedom?" Harry found himself asking, smiling slightly.

"Don't be so immature, Harry," Hermione said sternly, opening her bag. "Honestly, this fight between you and Sirius has gone on quite long enough! He only had your best interest in mind when he agreed with Dumbledore that you need Occlumency lessons, even if they were with Snape." Hermione pulled a mirror out of her bag. Harry had to jump back some at what he saw. Instead of seeing his own or Hermione's reflection he saw Sirius. He looked somewhat different. He didn't look like he had ever been in Azkaban. His hair was short, his skin clean-shaven, and he was wearing brand new robes instead of secondhand and frayed ones.

"Hello, Hermione," he greeted. Hermione walked a little ahead of Harry and Ginny. "Harry's still miffed, I take it?" he asked. Although he could not see it, Harry was sure she was rolling her eyes. "Well, I just thought I'd let you know I'm waiting in the Entrance Hall." Harry felt his heart skip a beat. Did Sirius just say he was in the Entrance Hall? At Hogwarts?

Hermione tucked the mirror in to her bag again and looked at Harry over her shoulder. "Are you at least going to sit with us?" she asked. "Or are you going to force Sirius to sit with the teachers? He doesn't like it when you're not talking to him, Harry. Where are you going?" she called out. Harry had broken out in to a run. Hermione and Ginny started to run after him, pleading for him to slow down.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he reached the Entrance Hall. Sirius was standing there, talking with Professor McGonagall. This had to be a dream. Sirius was supposed to be a convicted murderer in hiding. What was he doing in broad daylight?

"Hey, Mr. Black!" Dean called out as he passed out. Sirius looked up.

"I told you Dean, call me Sirius!" he called after him. McGonagall walked out the doors and Harry felt a hand on his arm. Before he registered that it was Hermione's, she had dragged him over to Sirius.

"Hello, Hermione," he greeted. "Harry, you look like you've seen a ghost." Sirius looked concerned and Harry could understand why. He felt white and shaky and was very surprised he hadn't fainted at the sight of Sirius in the Entrance Hall talking casually talking with Professor McGonagall.

Finally, Harry said, "Boy do I have a story for you."


End file.
